وبي سأمٌ من قُوايَ

وبي سأمٌ من قُوايَ

مريدٌ ينازعُني أغَلب

مريدٌ ينازعُني أغَلب

And within me is weariness of my strength—

I am weary of my strength,

Defiant and mighty, it wrestles with me.

Defeated by a frail youth.

لعلي أحِسُّ جديداً وابلو

لعلي أحِسُّ جديداً وابلو

جديداً من العيشِ لا أرقُبُ

جديداً من العيشِ لا أرقُبُ

Perhaps I may feel something new and experience

Perhaps I'll sense something new, a downpour—

Something new in life that I do not expect.

Something new in life I do not expect.

أنا اليوم صِنوُ الكآباتِ باتت

أنا اليوم صِنوُ الكآباتِ باتت

وبتّ وصدري بها مخصب

وبتّ وصدري بها مخصب

Today I am the twin of sorrows; they stayed the night,

Today I am the jar of sorrows.

And so did I, my breast fertile with them.

I've settled down and filled my heart with them.

فما للسرور إلى خاطري

فما للسرور إلى خاطري

سبيل وليس له مسرب

سبيل وليس له مسرب

So, for joy to reach my mind,

So happiness has no path to my mind,

There is no path, nor any passage for it.

No alleys by which to slip in.

ولست ليؤنسني شادن

ولست ليؤنسني شادن

ولست ليشتاقني ربرب

ولست ليشتاقني ربرب

Nor will a young gazelle keep me company,

Neither joyful companion can cheer me

Nor will a herd of antelopes yearn for me.

Nor lover's passionate murmur.

جعلتَ فتاك شبيهك حسناً

جعلتَ فتاك شبيهك حسناً

فأرهقَهُ الشبَهُ المعجِب

فأرهقَهُ الشبَهُ المعجِب

You made your young man like yourself in beauty,

You made your beauty like yourself—perfection—

So the wondrous likeness weighed him down.

And resemblance has wearied the admirer.

إذا ما ظهرتُ أروّع السباعَ

إذا ما ظهرتُ أروّع السباعَ

فلا تطمئن ولا تَقربُ

فلا تطمئن ولا تَقربُ

Whenever I appear, I terrify the beasts of prey,

When I appear, the loveliest of creatures,

So they are not at ease and do not draw near.

I bring no peace, and none comes near.

كأني مكانكَ في كل عين

كأني مكانكَ في كل عين

فمن ذا سميري ومن أصحَب

فمن ذا سميري ومن أصحَب

As though I were in your place in every eye.

It's as if, wherever eyes turn, they see

Who, then, is my companion by night, and whom can I befriend?

You. Who then is my boon friend? Who will draw near?

لك المجدُ كيف خلاصي مني

لك المجدُ كيف خلاصي مني

ومما أحسُّ وما أَحسَبُ

ومما أحسُّ وما أَحسَبُ

Glory be yours! How can I be freed from myself,

Yours is the glory! How can I save myself

And from what I feel and what I think?

From what I feel, from what I reckon?