ماwhat is wrong لِلغَوانيwith the fair women لاnot يُدينَthey pay blood-price for فُؤاديmy heart
ما لِلغَواني لا يُدينَ فُؤادي
أَيَرَينَdo they contemplate حَتفيmy death أَمor يَرَينَthey contemplate بِعاديmy estrangement
أَيَرَينَ حَتفي أَم يَرَينَ بِعادي
Why do the fair women pay no blood-price for my heart?
Do they contemplate my death, or contemplate my estrangement?
شَوقٌlonging أَلَمَّstruck وَمُقلَةٌand an eye مَطروفَةٌwounded
شَوقٌ أَلَمَّ وَمُقلَةٌ مَطروفَةٌ
بِفِراقِby parting مُنقَطِعِlacking القَرينَةِan equal عادِcruel
بِفِراقِ مُنقَطِعِ القَرينَةِ عادِ
Longing has struck, and an eye is wounded
by a cruel parting beyond compare.
كَذَبَتhave lied ظُنونُكَyour hopes لَستَyou are not راجِعَbringing back ماwhat مَضىhas passed
كَذَبَت ظُنونُكَ لَستَ راجِعَ ما مَضى
دَرَسَfaded الصِباyouth وَعَدَتand assailed هُناكَthere عَوادِcalamities
دَرَسَ الصِبا وَعَدَت هُناكَ عَوادِ
Your hopes have lied; you will not restore what has passed.
Youth has faded, and calamities have struck there.
لاno بُدَّescape لِلسَّرّاءِfor prosperity مِنfrom ضَرّائِهاits adversity
لا بُدَّ لِلسَّرّاءِ مِن ضَرّائِها
وَالدَهرُand time يُعقِبُfollows صالِحاًgood بِفَسادِwith corruption
وَالدَهرُ يُعقِبُ صالِحاً بِفَسادِ
Prosperity must have its adversity.
And time replaces good with corruption.
وَقَطَعتُand I severed بِالعَزماءِwith firm resolve أَقرانَthe bonds الصِباof youth
وَقَطَعتُ بِالعَزماءِ أَقرانَ الصِبا
وَحَلَلتُand I settled in مَنزِلَthe abode of نُهيَةًreason وَرَشادِand sound judgment
وَحَلَلتُ مَنزِلَ نُهيَةً وَرَشادِ
And with firm resolve I severed the bonds of youth.
And I settled in the abode of reason and sound judgment.