إن القريض إن أرسلت قد وصلا

إن القريض إن أرسلت قد وصلا

فهيج الشوق حتى ثار واشتعلا

فهيج الشوق حتى ثار واشتعلا

Indeed, verse—if you send it—has arrived;

Indeed, the verse, if you sent it, has arrived;

it stirred longing until it surged and grew all-consuming.

So it stirred longing until it surged and blazed,

وأرق الجفن قولاً للمحب لقد

وأرق الجفن قولاً للمحب لقد

طال الفراق وأضحى الحب قد غفلا

طال الفراق وأضحى الحب قد غفلا

It kept the eyelid wakeful, declaring to the lover: “Indeed,

And kept the eyelid sleepless, saying to the lover: “Indeed,

the separation has grown long, and love has now grown neglectful.”

Separation has lasted long, and love has grown heedless.”

والله يا صفوة الإخوان إن لكم

والله يا صفوة الإخوان إن لكم

عهداً تأطد في احشاء ما انتقلا

عهداً تأطد في احشاء ما انتقلا

By God, O choicest of brethren, you surely have

By God, O finest of brothers, you have indeed

a covenant rooted firmly in our inmost depths, never moved.

A pledge firmly rooted deep within, which has never shifted.

وما تركناك بعد البين عن قلا

وما تركناك بعد البين عن قلا

ولا ابتغينا بكم بعد النوى بدلا

ولا ابتغينا بكم بعد النوى بدلا

We did not leave you after parting out of aversion,

And we did not abandon you after parting out of aversion,

nor, after distance, did we seek another in your stead.

Nor did we seek a substitute for you after separation.

والله يا صاح إن كنتم ذوو وله

والله يا صاح إن كنتم ذوو وله

فإنما الشوق منا فوق ما نقلا

فإنما الشوق منا فوق ما نقلا

By God, my friend, if you are endowed with ardent yearning,

By God, O friend, if you are full of ardent longing,

then our yearning surpasses all that has been told.

Then indeed, our longing exceeds what has been conveyed.