أَبا عُمرو وَلي نَفَسٌ وَنَفسٌ

أَبا عُمرو وَلي نَفَسٌ وَنَفسٌ

تَهادى ذا إِلَيكَ وَذي تَجيشُ

تَهادى ذا إِلَيكَ وَذي تَجيشُ

O Abu Amr, I have a breath and a soul:

Abu Amr, I have a soul and you have a soul

the former has drifted to you, while the latter seethes.

Each longing for the other and stirred

وَجَأشٌ كُلَّما لاقى بِصَبرٍ

وَجَأشٌ كُلَّما لاقى بِصَبرٍ

جُيوشَ هَوىً أَمدَّتها جُيوشُ

جُيوشَ هَوىً أَمدَّتها جُيوشُ

And a stout heart that, whenever it patiently faces

And a heart, whenever faced with patience

armies of passion, finds them reinforced by armies.

Met armies of passion supplied by armies

وَقَلبٌ ضَلَّ عَنّي لَستُ أَدري

وَقَلبٌ ضَلَّ عَنّي لَستُ أَدري

أَمَثواهُ الجَزيرةُ أَم شَريشُ

أَمَثواهُ الجَزيرةُ أَم شَريشُ

And a heart that has strayed from me—I do not know

And a heart that strayed from me, I know not

whether its abode is Al-Jazira or Sharish,

Whether its haven was al-Jazirah or Sharysh

سِوى أَنّي يَطير إِلَيكَ روحي

سِوى أَنّي يَطير إِلَيكَ روحي

بِأَجنحةِ الهَوى وَالشَوقُ ريشُ

بِأَجنحةِ الهَوى وَالشَوقُ ريشُ

except that my soul flies to you

Except my soul takes wing toward you

on wings of passion, with longing as plumage.

On the wings of passion and yearning as feathers

كَأَنّا لَم نَزَل بِالجَزعِ أُنساً

كَأَنّا لَم نَزَل بِالجَزعِ أُنساً

تَلوذُ بِهِ حَوالينا الوُحوشُ

تَلوذُ بِهِ حَوالينا الوُحوشُ

As though we were still a comfort at the valley bend,

As if grief never lodged as companions with us

in which the wild beasts around us seek refuge.

Whose environs beasts of prey encroach

وَمَن سَرّ السُرورِ لَنا مِهادٌ

وَمَن سَرّ السُرورِ لَنا مِهادٌ

وَفَوقَ رُؤوسِنا مِنهُ عُروشُ

وَفَوقَ رُؤوسِنا مِنهُ عُروشُ

And from joy's essence we have a bed,

And he who rejoiced our joy for us has a resting place

and above our heads are canopies of it.

Over our heads from it are canopies

وَقَد راشَ الشَبابُ جَناحَ أُنسي

وَقَد راشَ الشَبابُ جَناحَ أُنسي

بِحَيثُ جَناحُ غَيري لا يَريشُ

بِحَيثُ جَناحُ غَيري لا يَريشُ

And youth had feathered the wing of my delight,

And youth has feathered the wing of my companionship

where another's wing grows no feathers.

Where the wing of none else feathers

فَيا عَجَباً مِن الأَيّام تُبدي

فَيا عَجَباً مِن الأَيّام تُبدي

لَنا دعةً وَأَيدينا تَبوشُ

لَنا دعةً وَأَيدينا تَبوشُ

So how strange the days that show

So wondrous are the days in showing

ease to us, while our hands come away empty!

Ease to us while our hands gather

أَلا لِلّه مِنكَ صَفيُّ وَدٍّ

أَلا لِلّه مِنكَ صَفيُّ وَدٍّ

لَهُ رُجحان حِلمٍ ما يَطيشُ

لَهُ رُجحان حِلمٍ ما يَطيشُ

Ah, God be praised for you, a friend of pure affection,

Verily, yours is sincere affection

endowed with weighty forbearance, never rash.

Prevailing, wise, never reckless

تَمازَجَ روحُهُ حُبّاً بِروحي

تَمازَجَ روحُهُ حُبّاً بِروحي

فَما أَدري بِأَيّهما أَعيشُ

فَما أَدري بِأَيّهما أَعيشُ

His soul has mingled with mine in love,

Its spirit mingled in love with my spirit

so I do not know through which of the two I live.

So I know not in which of them I live