أَعليّ قَد أَخلفت وَعدَكْ

أَعليّ قَد أَخلفت وَعدَكْ

فَوددتُ بَعد القُرب بُعدَكْ

فَوددتُ بَعد القُرب بُعدَكْ

O Ali, you have broken your promise;

My love, you have broken your promise

so after closeness, I wished you far away.

And I wished for your distance after being so close

هَيهات أَصفو بَعدَها

هَيهات أَصفو بَعدَها

أَبَداً وَلَو قاسَيت صدّك

أَبَداً وَلَو قاسَيت صدّك

Far be it from me to feel goodwill after that,

Alas, after it I will never experience

ever, even if I endure your rejection.

Joy, even if I endure your rejection

هَلّا وَفيت بِمَوعدي

هَلّا وَفيت بِمَوعدي

فَغَدوت طُول الدَهر عَبدك

فَغَدوت طُول الدَهر عَبدك

If only you had kept your appointment with me,

Why didn’t you keep your word to me

I would have become your slave for all time.

Instead you made me your slave forever

لا بَل غَدَرت وَخُنتَني

لا بَل غَدَرت وَخُنتَني

وَعَهدتني فَنقضت عَهدك

وَعَهدتني فَنقضت عَهدك

No—rather, you broke faith and betrayed me.

No, you betrayed and deserted me

And you knew me, yet you broke your pledge.

And made a pact then went back on your oath

وَلَو اِستَقَمت لخلتني

وَلَو اِستَقَمت لخلتني

دُون الأَنام أَبيد ضدك

دُون الأَنام أَبيد ضدك

And had you stayed true, you would have found me

If you had been true, you would have left me

alone among mankind, destroying your foe.

Above all people, always your opponent

لَكن صَبَوت لِمعشر

لَكن صَبَوت لِمعشر

لَم يَعرفوا يا بَدر ودّك

لَم يَعرفوا يا بَدر ودّك

But you yearned for a band of people

But you inclined towards a group

who did not know your affection, O full moon.

Who did not know, O full moon, your affection

قَسَماً بِأَيام مَضَت

قَسَماً بِأَيام مَضَت

في لذة لي مَعْك وَحدك

في لذة لي مَعْك وَحدك

I swear by days that passed

I swear by the days that passed

in the delight I had with you alone:

In pleasure with you alone

لَو كُنت أَعلَم أَنَّني

لَو كُنت أَعلَم أَنَّني

أَلقى الَّذي لاقيت عِندَك

أَلقى الَّذي لاقيت عِندَك

had I known that I

If I had known I would encounter

would face what I faced at your hands,

What I did in your presence

لَرغبت عَنكَ وَلم أَمل

لَرغبت عَنكَ وَلم أَمل

لَكَ وَالَّذي قَد صاغَ قَدّك

لَكَ وَالَّذي قَد صاغَ قَدّك

I would have turned away from you and never inclined

I would have shunned you and not wished

toward you—by Him who fashioned your form.

For you or the one who molded your shape

لَكن سَأَسلو عاجِلاً

لَكن سَأَسلو عاجِلاً

وَأَسدّ هَذا الباب بَعدَك

وَأَسدّ هَذا الباب بَعدَك

But I shall soon find solace,

But soon I will bid farewell

and bar this door after you.

And close this door after you