أَقول لِجارَتي وَالدَّمعُ جارٍ

أَقول لِجارَتي وَالدَّمعُ جارٍ

وَلي عَزم الرَّحيل إِلى الدِيارِ

وَلي عَزم الرَّحيل إِلى الدِيارِ

I say to my neighbor, while tears flow,

I say to my neighbor while tears flow

And I am resolved to depart for home:

I am determined to travel to my homeland

ذَريني أَن أَسيرَ وَلا تَنوحي

ذَريني أَن أَسيرَ وَلا تَنوحي

فَإِنَ الشّهبَ أَشرَفها السّواري

فَإِنَ الشّهبَ أَشرَفها السّواري

Let me journey, and do not lament,

Let me go, don't wail

For the noblest bright stars are those that travel by night.

For shooting stars have risen to the zenith

فَسَيرُ السائرينَ إِلى نَجاحٍ

فَسَيرُ السائرينَ إِلى نَجاحٍ

وَحالُ المترَفينَ إِلى بوارِ

وَحالُ المترَفينَ إِلى بوارِ

So the travelers' journey leads to success,

The travels of travelers lead to success

And the condition of the pampered leads to ruin.

While the state of the heedless leads to ruin

وَأَنّي في الظَّلامِ رَأَيت ضوءاً

وَأَنّي في الظَّلامِ رَأَيت ضوءاً

كَأَنّ اللَيل بدّلَ بِالنَهارِ

كَأَنّ اللَيل بدّلَ بِالنَهارِ

And in the darkness I saw a light,

And I saw a light in the darkness

As though night had been exchanged for day.

As if the night had turned into day

فَيَأتيني مِنَ الصَّنعاءِ بَرقٌ

فَيَأتيني مِنَ الصَّنعاءِ بَرقٌ

فَذكّرني بِهِ قُرب الدّيارِ

فَذكّرني بِهِ قُرب الدّيارِ

Then a flash of lightning comes to me from Sana'a,

So lightning comes to me from Sanaa

So through it I was reminded of the nearness of home.

Reminding me of the nearness of home

وَكَيفَ يَكونُ للدّيدانِ طَعمٌ

وَكَيفَ يَكونُ للدّيدانِ طَعمٌ

وَفَوقَ الفَرقَدينِ عَرفتُ داري

وَفَوقَ الفَرقَدينِ عَرفتُ داري

And how could there be food for the worms,

How can worms have any taste

When I have recognized my home above the two Farqad stars?

When above the two jaws I recognized my house

أَأَرضي بِالإِقامةِ في فَلاةٍ

أَأَرضي بِالإِقامةِ في فَلاةٍ

وَأَربَعة العَناصِر في جواري

وَأَربَعة العَناصِر في جواري

Shall I be content to dwell in a wilderness,

Shall I be content to stay in the wilderness

While the four elements are around me?

With the four elements in my vicinity

إِلى كَم آخذ الحَيّات صحبي

إِلى كَم آخذ الحَيّات صحبي

إِلى كَم أَجعل التنّين جاري

إِلى كَم أَجعل التنّين جاري

How long shall I take serpents as my companions?

For how long shall I take snakes as companions

How long shall I make the dragon my neighbor?

For how long shall I make the dragon my neighbor

إِذا لاقيت ذاكَ الضّوء أَفنى

إِذا لاقيت ذاكَ الضّوء أَفنى

فَلا أَدري يَميني مِن يَساري

فَلا أَدري يَميني مِن يَساري

When I encounter that light, I cease to be,

When I meet that light I will perish

So I cannot tell my right from my left.

I won't know my right hand from my left

وَلي سِرٌّ عَظيمٌ أَنكَروهُ

وَلي سِرٌّ عَظيمٌ أَنكَروهُ

يَدقّونَ الرّؤوسَ عَلى الجدارِ

يَدقّونَ الرّؤوسَ عَلى الجدارِ

And I have a great secret that they denied;

And I have an enormous secret they rejected

They pound heads against the wall.

Beating their heads against the wall