باتَت لَعَينِكَ عَبرَةٌ وَسُجومُ

باتَت لَعَينِكَ عَبرَةٌ وَسُجومُ

وَثَوَت بِقَلبِكَ زَفرَةٌ وَهُمومُ

وَثَوَت بِقَلبِكَ زَفرَةٌ وَهُمومُ

Your eye spent the night shedding streaming tears,

Tears dwell in your eyes and sorrows in your heart,

and a sigh and worries dwelt in your heart.

Zaynab's specter still troubles me after joy has passed,

طَيفٌ لِزَينَبَ ما يَزالُ مُؤَرِّقي

طَيفٌ لِزَينَبَ ما يَزالُ مُؤَرِّقي

بَعدَ الهُدُوِّ فَما يَكادُ يَريمُ

بَعدَ الهُدُوِّ فَما يَكادُ يَريمُ

An apparition of Zaynab still keeps me sleepless

And when her image comes to me in dreams,

after the stillness, and scarcely departs.

Her wounded image lacerates my infatuated heart.

وَإِذا تَعَرَّضَ في المَنامِ خَيالُها

وَإِذا تَعَرَّضَ في المَنامِ خَيالُها

نَكأَ الفُؤادَ خَيالُها المَحلومُ

نَكأَ الفُؤادَ خَيالُها المَحلومُ

And when her image appears in sleep,

Did you make your fault his and wrong him

her dreamed-of image wounds the heart anew.

When pleading your case, though the judge is unfair?

أَجَعَلتِ ذَنبَكِ ذَنبَهُ وَظَلَمتِهِ

أَجَعَلتِ ذَنبَكِ ذَنبَهُ وَظَلَمتِهِ

عِندَ التَحاكُمِ وَالمُدِلُّ ظَلومُ

عِندَ التَحاكُمِ وَالمُدِلُّ ظَلومُ

Have you made your fault his fault and wronged him

If you avoid sins, he will excuse you,

when judgment is sought? The presumptuous are unjust.

For the sick are pardoned, while the healthy are blamed.

وَلَئِن تَجَنَّيتِ الذُنوبَ فَإِنَّهُ

وَلَئِن تَجَنَّيتِ الذُنوبَ فَإِنَّهُ

ذو الدَاءِ يَعذِرُ وَالصَحيحُ يَلومُ

ذو الدَاءِ يَعذِرُ وَالصَحيحُ يَلومُ

And even if you have falsely imputed faults to him, he is

I saw you one day, still newly wed,

one afflicted, who excuses, while the healthy one blames.

With no shame or blame in your union.

وَلَقَد أَراكَ غَداةَ بِنتِ وَعَهدُكُم

وَلَقَد أَراكَ غَداةَ بِنتِ وَعَهدُكُم

في الوَصلِ لا حَرَجٌ وَلا مَذمومُ

في الوَصلِ لا حَرَجٌ وَلا مَذمومُ

And indeed, I see you on the morning you parted, when your pledge

Now experience and propriety admonish you

of union was free from fault or reproach.

And decree against it, though love still binds you.

أَضحَت تُحَكِّمُكِ التَجارِبُ وَالنُهى

أَضحَت تُحَكِّمُكِ التَجارِبُ وَالنُهى

عَنهُ وَيَكفُلهُ بِكَ التَحكيمُ

عَنهُ وَيَكفُلهُ بِكَ التَحكيمُ

Experience and reason have come to appoint you judge

The wise avoided the snares of love before,

on his behalf, and arbitration safeguards him through you.

And so escaped while I remain enthralled.

بَرَأَ الأُلى عَلِقو الحَبائِلَ قَبلَهُ

بَرَأَ الأُلى عَلِقو الحَبائِلَ قَبلَهُ

فَنَجوا وَأَصبَحَ في الوَثاقِ يَهيمُ

فَنَجوا وَأَصبَحَ في الوَثاقِ يَهيمُ

Those caught in the snares before him recovered,

Time has moved on though I still recall our days together fondly,

so they escaped, while he now wanders distraught in bonds.

For despite your coldness, Time remains generous.

وَلَقَد عَلى حَدَثَ الزَمانُ وَرَيبِهِ

وَلَقَد عَلى حَدَثَ الزَمانُ وَرَيبِهِ

وَعَلى جِفنائِكِ إِنَّهُ لكَريمُ

وَعَلى جِفنائِكِ إِنَّهُ لكَريمُ

And indeed, despite time’s calamities and vicissitudes,

It moves on though I still recall our days together fondly,

and despite your estrangement [reading uncertain], he is surely noble.

Despite your coldness, Time remains generous.

يَبعى عَلى حَدَثِ الزَمانِ وَرَيبِهِ

يَبعى عَلى حَدَثِ الزَمانِ وَرَيبِهِ

وَعَلى جَفائِكِ إِنَّهُ لَكَريمُ

وَعَلى جَفائِكِ إِنَّهُ لَكَريمُ

He remains [reading uncertain], despite time’s calamities and vicissitudes,

and despite your estrangement, he is surely noble.

With youth, loves sworn in childhood weakened

ضَعَفَت مَعاهِدُ حُبِّهِنَّ مَعَ الصِبا

ضَعَفَت مَعاهِدُ حُبِّهِنَّ مَعَ الصِبا

وَمَعَ الشَبابُ فَبِنَّ وَهوَ مُقيمُ

وَمَعَ الشَبابُ فَبِنَّ وَهوَ مُقيمُ

The familiar haunts of their love faded with boyhood

While he remained true though time marched on.

and with youth; they departed, while he remained.

You chided him when you were well, but sick,

وَعَتِبتِ حينَ صَحِحتِ وَهوَ بِدائِهِ

وَعَتِبتِ حينَ صَحِحتِ وَهوَ بِدائِهِ

شَتّانَ ذاكَ مُصَحَّحٌ وَسَقيمُ

شَتّانَ ذاكَ مُصَحَّحٌ وَسَقيمُ

And you reproached him when you recovered, while he still bore his illness.

How different the healthy are from the ill!

How far apart they are—one restored to health and one sick!

You pained him long but he returned with patience,

وَأَذَيتِهِ زَمَناً فَعادَ بِحِلمِهِ

وَأَذَيتِهِ زَمَناً فَعادَ بِحِلمِهِ

إِنَّ المُحِبَّ عَنِ الحَبيبِ حَليمُ

إِنَّ المُحِبَّ عَنِ الحَبيبِ حَليمُ

And you hurt him for a time, yet he returned with forbearance;

For lovers bear much from their beloved.

the lover is indeed forbearing toward the beloved.

You claimed reluctance while passion burned within,

وَزَعَمتِ أَنَّكِ تَبخَلينَ وَشَفَّهُ

وَزَعَمتِ أَنَّكِ تَبخَلينَ وَشَفَّهُ

شَوقٌ إِلَيكِ وَإِن بَخَلتِ أليمُ

شَوقٌ إِلَيكِ وَإِن بَخَلتِ أليمُ

And you claimed you would withhold your love, while he was worn away

Yearning for you though you are cold.

by painful longing for you, even if you withhold it.