يا نازحاً وله فؤادي مَنْزِلُ

يا نازحاً وله فؤادي مَنْزِلُ

ومفارقاً وبه الفؤادُ موكّلُ

ومفارقاً وبه الفؤادُ موكّلُ

O distant one, for whom my heart is a home,

O one who has departed yet my heart remains your dwelling

and one who has left, to whom the heart is bound,

And though you're gone, my heart is still devoted to you

ومقاسماً لي في الحياة وأنّه

ومقاسماً لي في الحياة وأنّه

ليشحُّ عني بالخيالِ ويبخل

ليشحُّ عني بالخيالِ ويبخل

and one who shares my life—yet he

You were my life's companion, yet now in your absence

begrudges me even his image in dreams, and is miserly.

My imagination of you has faded and grown stingy

عَلّلتُ قلبي مذ بَعُدتَ فلم أحد

عَلّلتُ قلبي مذ بَعُدتَ فلم أحد

عوضاً ولا شيْئاً به أتعلل

عوضاً ولا شيْئاً به أتعلل

Since you went far away, I tried to soothe my heart, but found no

Since you left, I've blamed my heart, yet found no substitute

replacement, nor anything with which to console myself.

Nor anything that could console my blame

وكتمتُ حُبَّك أن يذيع فنمَّ بي

وكتمتُ حُبَّك أن يذيع فنمَّ بي

دمعٌ يكفكف بالرذاذ ويهمِلُ

دمعٌ يكفكف بالرذاذ ويهمِلُ

I hid my love for you lest it become known, but I was betrayed by

I've kept my love for you secret, so my tears must silently

tears, wiped away in fine droplets, yet still streaming.

Trickle down and go neglected

أعجبتَ لمّا إنْ رأيتَ غرامَنا

أعجبتَ لمّا إنْ رأيتَ غرامَنا

بكل والمليح بما به يتدلل

بكل والمليح بما به يتدلل

You grew conceited when you saw our passion

If you're surprised that our passion still persists

for you; the handsome one plays coy with what he has.

The beautiful are indulged for their beauty

ورأيتُ قدَّكَ من قضيب مائس

ورأيتُ قدَّكَ من قضيب مائس

في رامح فعملتَ ما لا يُعملِ

في رامح فعملتَ ما لا يُعملِ

And I saw your stature fashioned from a swaying bough,

I've seen your slender waist as a willow branch

in a spear-bearer; so you did what cannot be done.

Bending gracefully beneath the weight it holds

خُفّفْتَ خصراً إذ ثقلتَ روادفاً

خُفّفْتَ خصراً إذ ثقلتَ روادفاً

والحْسنُ أقتله الخفيفُ المثقلُ

والحْسنُ أقتله الخفيفُ المثقلُ

You were made light at the waist, while heavy in the hips;

Your light step belies the heaviness you bear

and beauty's deadliest form is light yet heavy-laden.

For true beauty is enhanced by graceful contrasts

كم لي ببغداد ودجلة من هوى

كم لي ببغداد ودجلة من هوى

عنه ارتحلتُ وحُبُّه لا يَرْحَلُ

عنه ارتحلتُ وحُبُّه لا يَرْحَلُ

How many a love I have in Baghdad and by the Tigris,

How much of Baghdad and the Tigris I still love

from whom I departed, though love of him never departs.

Though from them I departed, their love won't leave me

ما كان عن رأيي الفراق وإنّما

ما كان عن رأيي الفراق وإنّما

للدهر أيامٌ تجور وتعدل

للدهر أيامٌ تجور وتعدل

Our parting was not by my choice; rather,

It wasn't my choice to part from you, but time

Time has days that are unjust and days that are fair.

Brings days that alternate between justice and tyranny