أَلا لَيتَ أَيّامَ مَضَينَ تَعودُ

أَلا لَيتَ أَيّامَ مَضَينَ تَعودُ

فَإِن عُدنَ يَوماً إِنَّني لَسَعيدُ

فَإِن عُدنَ يَوماً إِنَّني لَسَعيدُ

Ah, if only the days gone by would return!

Alas! If only the days of the past could return

For if they returned one day, I would indeed be happy.

For if they did for a day, I would indeed be happy

سَقى دارَ لُبنى حَيثُ حَلَّت وَخَيَّمَت

سَقى دارَ لُبنى حَيثُ حَلَّت وَخَيَّمَت

مِنَ الأَرضِ مُنهَلُّ الغَمامِ رَعودُ

مِنَ الأَرضِ مُنهَلُّ الغَمامِ رَعودُ

May Lubna's dwelling, where she settled and pitched her tent, be watered

It watered the abode of Lubna wherever she settled and camped

Upon the earth, by a pouring, thundering raincloud.

From the land the rains of clouds poured forth thunder

عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ إِن دَنَت أَو تَباعَدَت

عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ إِن دَنَت أَو تَباعَدَت

فَإِن تَدنُ مِنّا فَالدُنوُّ مَزيدُ

فَإِن تَدنُ مِنّا فَالدُنوُّ مَزيدُ

In every circumstance, whether she draws near or moves far away,

In any case, whether she came near or kept her distance

For if she draws near us, nearness only adds to longing.

If she comes near to us, then her nearness is an increase

فَلا اليَأسُ يُسليني وَلا القُربُ نافِعي

فَلا اليَأسُ يُسليني وَلا القُربُ نافِعي

وَلُبنى مَنوعٌ ما تَكادُ تَجودُ

وَلُبنى مَنوعٌ ما تَكادُ تَجودُ

So neither despair makes me forget, nor does nearness help me,

So neither despair consoles me, nor does closeness benefit me

And Lubna is withholding, scarcely ever generous.

And Lubna is forbidden, she almost never gives

كَأَنِّيَ مِن لُبنى سَليمٌ مُسَهَّدٌ

كَأَنِّيَ مِن لُبنى سَليمٌ مُسَهَّدٌ

يَظَلُّ عَلى أَيدي الرِجالِ يَميدُ

يَظَلُّ عَلى أَيدي الرِجالِ يَميدُ

Because of Lubna, I am like a sleepless, snake-bitten man,

It is as if I am a docile camel from Lubna

Who spends the day swaying in the hands of men.

Lying down at the hands of men, yielding

رَمَتني لُبَينى في الفُؤادِ بِسَهمِها

رَمَتني لُبَينى في الفُؤادِ بِسَهمِها

وَسَهمُ لُبَينى لِلفُؤادِ صَيودُ

وَسَهمُ لُبَينى لِلفُؤادِ صَيودُ

Lubayna shot me in the heart with her arrow,

Lubna shot me in the heart with her arrow

And Lubayna's arrow takes the heart as prey.

And Lubna's arrow is fatal for the heart

سَلا كُلُّ ذي شَجوٍ عَلِمتُ مَكانَهُ

سَلا كُلُّ ذي شَجوٍ عَلِمتُ مَكانَهُ

وَقَلبي لِلُبنى ما حَيِيتُ وَدودُ

وَقَلبي لِلُبنى ما حَيِيتُ وَدودُ

Every grieving man whose whereabouts I know has found solace,

Greetings to all who pine, I know their place

But my heart remains devoted to Lubna as long as I live.

And my heart is forever loving to Lubna

وَقائِلَةٍ قَد ماتَ أَو هُوَ مَيِّتٌ

وَقائِلَةٍ قَد ماتَ أَو هُوَ مَيِّتٌ

وَلِلنَفسِ مِنى أَن تَفيضَ رَصيدُ

وَلِلنَفسِ مِنى أَن تَفيضَ رَصيدُ

And many a woman says, 'He has died, or is dying.'

And saying he is dead or that he is dying

And a watcher lies in wait for my soul to depart.

But my soul still has provision to bestow

أُعالِجُ مِن نَفسي بَقايا حُشاشَةٍ

أُعالِجُ مِن نَفسي بَقايا حُشاشَةٍ

عَلى رَمَقٍ وَالعائِداتُ تَعودُ

عَلى رَمَقٍ وَالعائِداتُ تَعودُ

I nurse the last remnants of life within me,

I deal with the remnants of my vanished ardour

Barely alive, while the women visitors come to see me.

On a thread, though the lost ones can return

فَإِن ذُكِرَت لُبنى هَشِشتُ لِذِكرِها

فَإِن ذُكِرَت لُبنى هَشِشتُ لِذِكرِها

كَما هَشَّ لِلثَديِ الدَرورِ وَليدُ

كَما هَشَّ لِلثَديِ الدَرورِ وَليدُ

And if Lubna is mentioned, I brighten at her mention,

If Lubna is mentioned I yearn at her mention

Just as a newborn delights in a breast flowing with milk.

As the young yearns for the suckling breast

أُجيبُ بِلُبنى مَن دَعاني تَجَلُّدا

أُجيبُ بِلُبنى مَن دَعاني تَجَلُّدا

وَبي زَفَراتٌ تَنجَلي وَتَعودُ

وَبي زَفَراتٌ تَنجَلي وَتَعودُ

I answer whoever calls me with 'Lubna,' mustering fortitude,

I respond to those calling me with Lubna, stoically

While deep sighs within me subside and return.

And sighs burst forth from me and return

نُعيدُ إِلى رَوحِ الحَياةَ وَإِنَّني

نُعيدُ إِلى رَوحِ الحَياةَ وَإِنَّني

بِنَفسِيَ لَو عايَنتِني لَأَجودُ

بِنَفسِيَ لَو عايَنتِني لَأَجودُ

We restore life to the spirit, though I

We restore life’s soul though I

Am surely yielding up my soul—if you could see me.

Were she to see me, would be most generous