أَلا لَيتَ شِعري هَل وِصالكَ يَرجِعُ

أَلا لَيتَ شِعري هَل وِصالكَ يَرجِعُ

أَمِ اليَأسُ مِمّا اِرتَجي أَتَوَقَّعُ

أَمِ اليَأسُ مِمّا اِرتَجي أَتَوَقَّعُ

Ah, would that I knew: will union with you return?

Alas! Do I wonder if your union will return?

Or am I to expect despair of what I hope for?

Or is despair all I can expect from what I yearn?

سَأَرفَعُ لِلسُلوانِ في الهَجرِ قِصَّةً

سَأَرفَعُ لِلسُلوانِ في الهَجرِ قِصَّةً

عَساهُ بِرَفعِ الظُلمِ عَنّي يُوَقِّعُ

عَساهُ بِرَفعِ الظُلمِ عَنّي يُوَقِّعُ

I shall submit to Solace a petition concerning estrangement;

To the Sultan I will make my tale of separation known -

May he sign a decree lifting the injustice from me.

May he end my oppression with a stroke of his seal alone.

فَأُصدِرُ قَلبي عَن مَوارِدِ حُكمِهِ

فَأُصدِرُ قَلبي عَن مَوارِدِ حُكمِهِ

فَقَد كادَ مِن فَرطِ الأَسى يَتَقَطَّعُ

فَقَد كادَ مِن فَرطِ الأَسى يَتَقَطَّعُ

Then I shall lead my heart back from the wellsprings of his judgment,

I will emancipate my heart from the rule of its domain,

For it has nearly been torn apart by overwhelming sorrow.

For it nearly ruptures from the surplus of its pain.