كَمhow often كُنتُI used to أَقولُI say إِنَّنيthat I أُدنيهِI draw him near
كَم كُنتُ أَقولُ إِنَّني أُدنيهِ
بالضَّمِّwith an embrace وغُصنُand the bough قَدِّهِof his stature أَجنيهِI pluck it
بالضَّمِّ وغُصنُ قَدِّهِ أَجنيهِ
How often I would say that I would draw him near
How often I said I drew him near
with an embrace, and pluck the bough of his stature.
With embraces, and his branch of early youth I plucked,
هاbehold قَدalready هَدَمَdemolished البِعادُseparation يَأسيmy despair مِنهُof him
ها قَد هَدَمَ البِعادُ يَأسي مِنهُ
ماwhat كانَwas اقترابيmy drawing near بالرَّجاwith hope يَبنيهِbuilds it
ما كانَ اقترابي بالرَّجا يَبنيهِ
Behold, separation—my despair of him—has torn down
But separation has destroyed my hopes for him -
what my drawing near in hope was building.
My approach through hope did not build them.