أَتَلحى مُحِبّاً هائِمَ القَلبِ أَن رَأى

أَتَلحى مُحِبّاً هائِمَ القَلبِ أَن رَأى

شَبيهاً لِمَن يَهواهُ في الحَبلِ موثَقا

شَبيهاً لِمَن يَهواهُ في الحَبلِ موثَقا

Do you reproach a lover, his heart distraught, because he saw

Does a passionate lover meet gladly one imprisoned

a likeness of the one he loves, bound with a rope?

Who resembles the one he loves though in fetters bound?

فَلَمّا دَنا مِنهُ تَذَكَّرَ شَجوَهُ

فَلَمّا دَنا مِنهُ تَذَكَّرَ شَجوَهُ

وَذَكَّرَهُ مَن قَد نَأَى فَتَشَوَّقا

وَذَكَّرَهُ مَن قَد نَأَى فَتَشَوَّقا

Then, when he drew near it, he remembered his sorrow,

When he went near he recalled his sorrow for the absent;

and it reminded him of the one who had gone far away, so he yearned.

And memory awakened in him longing unfound.