ياO حسرتِيmy sorrow ياO حسرَتِيmy sorrow
يا حسرتِي يا حسرَتِي
علَىover ضَياعِloss زهرتِيmy flower
علَى ضَياعِ زهرتِي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
Over the loss of my flower.
For the loss of my flower
حَيَّاgreeted بهاwith her حَبِيبٌa beloved
حَيَّا بها حَبِيبٌ
مهذَّبٌrefined أديبُcultured
مهذَّبٌ أديبُ
A beloved greeted me with her,
A refined, literate beloved lived for her
refined and cultured.
By Allah, does it please me
باللهِby God هلwhether يطِيبُis pleasing
باللهِ هل يطِيبُ
ليto me فِراقُparting from قرَّتيmy delight
لي فِراقُ قرَّتي
By God, could it be sweet
To be separated from my comfort?
for me to part from my delight?
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
ياO حسرتِيmy sorrow ياO حَسرتِيmy sorrow
يا حسرتِي يا حَسرتِي
علَىover ضَياعِloss زَهرتيmy flower
علَى ضَياعِ زَهرتي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
For the loss of my flower
Over the loss of my flower.
O flower I adored
يَاO زهرةًflower أهوَاهاI love her
يَا زهرةً أهوَاها
سُبحانَglory to منthe One who سوَّاهاfashioned her
سُبحانَ من سوَّاها
O flower whom I love,
Glory to Him who created her
glory to Him who fashioned her!
Not musk from her fragrance
لاnot المِسكُmusk منfrom شَذاهاher fragrance
لا المِسكُ من شَذاها
واللَّونُand the hue لونُthe hue of الدَّرةِthe pearl
واللَّونُ لونُ الدَّرةِ
Not even musk rivals her fragrance,
And color the color of pearls
and her hue is the hue of a pearl.
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
يَاO حسرتِيmy sorrow ياO حَسرتِيmy sorrow
يَا حسرتِي يا حَسرتِي
علَىover ضَياعِloss زًَهرتيmy flower
علَى ضَياعِ زًَهرتي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
For the loss of my flower
Over the loss of my flower.
Her scent flows
أرَجُهاher fragrance يضوعُwafts
أرَجُها يضوعُ
فتَنتَشِيso become intoxicated الجمُوعُthe crowds
فتَنتَشِي الجمُوعُ
Her fragrance wafts,
Captivating the crowds
so the crowds grow intoxicated,
And tears flow
وتنزِلُand fall الدُموعُthe tears
وتنزِلُ الدُموعُ
فيin مثلthe like of حَرّthe heat of الجَمرةِthe glowing ember
في مثل حَرّ الجَمرةِ
and tears fall
Like the heat of burning coal
in a heat like that of a glowing ember.
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
يَاO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow يَاO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow
يَا حَسرَتِي يَا حَسرَتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرَتيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زَهرَتي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
For the loss of my flower
Over the loss of my flower.
She left a mother for her
قدalready فّارقَتshe parted from أمّاًa mother لهَاof hers
قد فّارقَت أمّاً لهَا
كانتused to تضُمُّgather together شَملَهاher family circle
كانت تضُمُّ شَملَها
She has parted from her mother,
Who gathered her family
who used to keep her family together
And relished her company
وتَستطيبُand savor وَصلَهاunion with her
وتَستطيبُ وَصلَها
فيin غدوةٍthe morning ورَوحَةand the evening
في غدوةٍ ورَوحَة
and savor being with her
In the morn and eve
in the morning and at evening.
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
ياO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow يَاO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow
يا حَسرَتِي يَا حَسرَتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرتِيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زَهرتِي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
For the loss of my flower
Over the loss of my flower.
If her only worry
لَوif لمnot يَكُنthere were منof هَمِّهاher sorrow
لَو لم يَكُن من هَمِّها
إلاexcept فراقparting from أمِّهاher mother
إلا فراق أمِّها
If her sorrow had been nothing
Was parting from her mother
but parting from her mother,
I would have enjoyed her company
لرُوعيتshe would have been shown care منfor حِرمِهَاher deprivation
لرُوعيت من حِرمِهَا
لذيذةًa delight كالعِشرَةlike companionship
لذيذةً كالعِشرَة
she would have been pitied for losing
Sweet as companionship
a delight like companionship.
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
ياO حَسرتِيmy sorrow ياO حَسرتِيmy sorrow
يا حَسرتِي يا حَسرتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرَتيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زَهرَتي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
For the loss of my flower
Over the loss of my flower.
And she left from her branch
وفارقتand she left منfrom غُصنِهاher branch
وفارقت من غُصنِها
وإخوةًand brothers فيof سِنِّهاher age
وإخوةً في سِنِّها
And she parted from her branch,
And brothers her own age
and brothers of her age,
And from the fortress of her family
ومنand from حِصينsecure كنِّهاher shelter
ومن حِصين كنِّها
أباa father وبيتَand a home of أُسرَةِa family
أبا وبيتَ أُسرَةِ
and from her secure refuge—
A father and home of a family
a father and a family home.
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
ياO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow ياO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow
يا حَسرَتِي يا حَسرَتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرَتِيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زَهرَتِي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
For the loss of my flower
Over the loss of my flower.
A veil over her
ذُؤابةٌa tress لَدَيهاshe has
ذُؤابةٌ لَدَيها
منfrom فوقِabove منكِبيهَاher shoulders
من فوقِ منكِبيهَا
She has a tress of hair,
From above her shoulders
from above her shoulders,
Flowing over her
مَسدولةٌdraped عليهاover her
مَسدولةٌ عليها
مثلُlike انسِدالِthe falling of السُّترَةthe veil
مثلُ انسِدالِ السُّترَة
draped over her
Like a trailing robe
like the falling of a veil.
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
ياO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow ياO حَسرتِيmy sorrow
يا حَسرَتِي يا حَسرتِي
علىover ضَيَاعِloss زَهرتِيmy flower
على ضَيَاعِ زَهرتِي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
For the loss of my flower
Over the loss of my flower.
She shows you a nest of pearls
تُريكَshe shows you عُشa nest دُرٍّpearls
تُريكَ عُش دُرٍّ
صَدرٍa breast بجنبِbeside صدرِa breast
صَدرٍ بجنبِ صدرِ
She shows you a nest of pearls:
A chest next to chest
breast beside breast,
Gathered at dawn
تجمَّعُواthey gathered together بوَكرِin a nest
تجمَّعُوا بوَكرِ
مثلٌُlike اجتماعِthe gathering of الأسرَةِthe family
مثلٌُ اجتماعِ الأسرَةِ
gathered together in a nest,
Like a gathering of family
like a family assembled.
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
ياحَسرتٍِيO my sorrow باO (apparent typo) حَسرتِيmy sorrow
ياحَسرتٍِي با حَسرتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرَتِيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زَهرَتِي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
For the loss of my flower
Over the loss of my flower.
My intimate friend
هلwhether شِمتَyou glimpsed ياO حَميميmy dear friend
هل شِمتَ يا حَميمي
بَدراًa full moon مِنamong النجُومthe stars
بَدراً مِن النجُوم
Have you glimpsed, my dear friend,
Did you see a full moon among the stars
a full moon among the stars,
Surrounded by clouds
حَولَهaround it منsome غُيومclouds
حَولَه من غُيوم
رقيقةٍdelicate مخضرَّةِgreen-tinged
رقيقةٍ مخضرَّةِ
with clouds around it,
Soft and green?
delicate and green-tinged?
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
ياO حسرَتِيmy sorrow ياO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow
يا حسرَتِي يا حَسرَتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرَتيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زَهرَتي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
For the loss of my flower
Over the loss of my flower.
A friend lived for her whose manners yearn
حياgreeted بهاwith her صَدِيقُa friend
حيا بها صَدِيقُ
أخلاقُهhis character يَتوقُyearns
أخلاقُه يَتوقُ
A friend greeted me with her,
For her elite gathering
whose character yearns
And the stars of the galaxy
لنشرِهاfor her fragrance الفتِيقُfar-spreading
لنشرِها الفتِيقُ
وأنجمُand the stars of المجَرَّةِthe Milky Way
وأنجمُ المجَرَّةِ
for her far-spreading fragrance
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
and the stars of the Milky Way.
For the loss of my flower
ياO حسرتِيmy sorrow ياO حسرتِيmy sorrow
يا حسرتِي يا حسرتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زهرَتيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زهرَتي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
When another friend
Over the loss of my flower.
I greet happily
إذاwhen صَديقٌa friend ثَانِa second
إذا صَديقٌ ثَانِ
حيَّيتُهI greeted him حَيَّانيhe greeted me
حيَّيتُه حَيَّاني
When a second friend appeared,
And our eyes meet
I greeted him; he greeted me,
Ours together in a glance
والتقَتِand met العَينانِthe two eyes
والتقَتِ العَينانِ
مِناfrom us معاtogether فيin نظرَةٍa glance
مِنا معا في نظرَةٍ
and our eyes met,
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
together, in a glance between us.
For the loss of my flower
ياO حسرَتِيmy sorrow ياO حسرَتِيmy sorrow
يا حسرَتِي يا حسرَتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرَتيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زَهرَتي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
Then he saw in my palm
Over the loss of my flower.
That beauty and elegance
ثُمthen رأىhe saw بكَفِّيin my palm
ثُم رأى بكَفِّي
ذاتَone endowed with البَهاbeauty والظَّرفِand charm
ذاتَ البَها والظَّرفِ
Then he saw in my palm
I raise to my eyes
her, all beauty and charm,
Exhaling my sigh
أرفعُهاI raise her لِطَرفيto my eye
أرفعُها لِطَرفي
مُصَعِّداsending upward لِزفرَتيmy sigh
مُصَعِّدا لِزفرَتي
as I raised her to my eye,
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
heaving my sigh upward.
For the loss of my flower
ياO حَسرتِيmy sorrow ياO حَسرتِيmy sorrow
يا حَسرتِي يا حَسرتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرَتيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زَهرَتي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
He took it and smelled it
Over the loss of my flower.
And after that held it to him
أخَذَهاhe took her وشمَّهاand smelled her
أخَذَها وشمَّها
وبَعدand after ذاكthat ضمَّهاhe clasped her
وبَعد ذاك ضمَّها
He took her and smelled her,
And said this is the scent of desire
and after that clasped her close,
Leave it with intended moral
وقالand he said ذَاthis عِطرُthe perfume of المَهاthe oryxes
وقال ذَا عِطرُ المَها
دعهاleave her بِقَصدِfor the sake of العِبرَةa lesson
دعها بِقَصدِ العِبرَة
and said, “This is the oryxes’ perfume;
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
leave her as a lesson.”
For the loss of my flower
ياO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow ياO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow
يا حَسرَتِي يا حَسرَتِي
علىover ضَياعٍloss زًهرَتِيmy flower
على ضَياعٍ زًهرَتِي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
I saw for a moment one lazy
Over the loss of my flower.
And erect like a palm tree
رأيتُI saw لحظاa glance ذاpossessed of كَسَلlanguor
رأيتُ لحظا ذا كَسَل
وقامةًand a figure مثلُlike الأسَلslender reeds
وقامةً مثلُ الأسَل
I saw a languid glance
Do not ask about my worries
and a figure like a reed;
And my great confusion
فَعَنso about هُموميmy sorrows لاَdo not تَسَلask
فَعَن هُمومي لاَ تَسَل
وعنand about عظِيمthe immensity of حَيرَتِيmy bewilderment
وعن عظِيم حَيرَتِي
so do not ask about my sorrows
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
or the depth of my bewilderment.
For the loss of my flower
ياO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow ياO حسرَتِيmy sorrow
يا حَسرَتِي يا حسرَتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرتِيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زَهرتِي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
So I said take, my master
Over the loss of my flower.
And I am on the watch
فًَقُلتُso I said خذtake ياO سيِّديmy lord
فًَقُلتُ خذ يا سيِّدي
وإننيand indeed I بالمِرصَدِat the lookout
وإنني بالمِرصَدِ
So I said, “Take her, my lord,
Until I see it in my hand
and I am keeping watch
So no loss of my flower
حتَّىuntil أراهاI see her بِيدِيin my hand
حتَّى أراها بِيدِي
فلاso no ضَياعِloss زَهرتِيmy flower
فلا ضَياعِ زَهرتِي
until I see her in my hand,
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
so that my flower is not lost.”
For the loss of my flower
ياO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow ياO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow
يا حَسرَتِي يا حَسرَتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرَتِيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زَهرَتِي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
If I kept my vow to her
Over the loss of my flower.
I would not have accepted after her
لوif كنتُI were أرعَىhonor عَهدَهاher covenant
لو كنتُ أرعَى عَهدَها
لَمَّاwould not have رضِيتُI accepted بعَدهاher absence
لَمَّا رضِيتُ بعَدها
Had I honored her covenant,
Replacing what she has
I would not have accepted her absence,
Of love with abandonment
مستبدلاًُexchanging ماwhat عِندَهاshe has
مستبدلاًُ ما عِندَها
مِنof الهوَىlove بهِجرَةfor estrangement
مِن الهوَى بهِجرَة
exchanging what she held
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
of love for estrangement.
For the loss of my flower
ياO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow يَاO حَسرَتيmy sorrow
يا حَسرَتِي يَا حَسرَتي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرَتِيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زَهرَتِي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
But he is human
Over the loss of my flower.
Betrayal is his nature
لكنَّهُbut he الإنسانُman
لكنَّهُ الإنسانُ
بطبعهِby his nature خَوَّانُhabitually treacherous
بطبعهِ خَوَّانُ
But man is
And before him they were
treacherous by nature,
Betrayers of oaths
وقَبلَهand before him كماjust as كَانواthey were
وقَبلَه كما كَانوا
خَونَةbetrayers للذمَّةِof pledged trust
خَونَة للذمَّةِ
and those before him likewise were
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
betrayers of their pledged trust.
For the loss of my flower
ياO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow ياO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow
يا حَسرَتِي يا حَسرَتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرَتشيmy flower (apparent typo)
على ضَياعِ زَهرَتشي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
My heart dwells in gloom
Over the loss of my flower.
And my tears flow
يَبيتُspends the night قلبِيmy heart فيin اكتِئَابdejection
يَبيتُ قلبِي في اكتِئَاب
ودَمعُand the tears of عينيmy eye فيin انسكَابoutpouring
ودَمعُ عيني في انسكَاب
My heart spends the night in dejection,
And rightness is gone from me
and the tears of my eye pour forth,
And my sigh is long in returning
وغابَand departed عنِّيfrom me الصَّوابsound judgment
وغابَ عنِّي الصَّواب
وطالَand grew long رجعُthe echo of زَفرَتيmy sigh
وطالَ رجعُ زَفرَتي
and sound judgment has left me,
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
and the echo of my sigh lingers long.
For the loss of my flower
ياَO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow ياO حَسرتِيmy sorrow
ياَ حَسرَتِي يا حَسرتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرتِيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زَهرتِي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
O flower you were gifted me
Over the loss of my flower.
Rather, a blessing I was given
ياO زهرةًflower قدalready أُهدِيتwas gifted
يا زهرةً قد أُهدِيت
بلrather نِعمةًa blessing قدalready أُسدِيتwas bestowed
بل نِعمةً قد أُسدِيت
O flower that was gifted,
From the outpouring of my weeping
nay, a blessing bestowed,
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
هاbehold مقلتِيmy eye قدalready عَشِيتgrew dim
ها مقلتِي قد عَشِيت
مِنfrom طُولِthe long duration of سَكبِthe shedding of عَبرتِيmy tears
مِن طُولِ سَكبِ عَبرتِي
behold, my eye has grown dim
For the loss of my flower
from the long shedding of my tears.
Oh I wish I knew, could I see
يَاO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow يَاO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow
يَا حَسرَتِي يَا حَسرَتِي
عَلىover ضَياعِloss زَهرَتِيmy flower
عَلى ضَياعِ زَهرَتِي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
To buy her back
Over the loss of my flower.
With all above the earth
يَاO ليتَif only شعرِيmy knowledge هلwhether أرىI see
يَا ليتَ شعرِي هل أرى
لهَايُشتَرىfor her, it is bought
لهَايُشتَرى
Oh, if only I knew: shall I see
Of wealth and abundance?
something bought for her
Oh my sorrow, oh my grief
بكلِّwith all ماthat which فوقَabove الثَّرىthe earth
بكلِّ ما فوقَ الثَّرى
مِنof ثروةٍwealth ووَفرةand abundance
مِن ثروةٍ ووَفرة
with all that lies upon the earth
For the loss of my flower
of wealth and abundance?
يَاO حَسرَتِيmy sorrow ياO حسرتِيmy sorrow
يَا حَسرَتِي يا حسرتِي
علىover ضَياعِloss زَهرَتِيmy flower
على ضَياعِ زَهرَتِي
Oh, my sorrow! Oh, my sorrow!
Over the loss of my flower.
Partial English translation: 119 of 122 Arabic lines translated.