قَضى مِنشِرُ المَوتى عَلَيَّ قَضِيَّةً

قَضى مِنشِرُ المَوتى عَلَيَّ قَضِيَّةً

بِحُبِّكِ لَم أَملِك وَلَم آتِها عَمدا

بِحُبِّكِ لَم أَملِك وَلَم آتِها عَمدا

He who raises the dead decreed a fate upon me:

The announcer of death has decreed concerning me

to love you; I had no control over it, nor did I bring it about deliberately.

A decree due to my love for you - I had no control over it, nor did I intend it

فَلَيسَ لِقُربٍ بَعدَ قُربِكِ لَذَّةٌ

فَلَيسَ لِقُربٍ بَعدَ قُربِكِ لَذَّةٌ

وَلَستُ أَرى نَأياً سِوى نَأيَكُم بُعدا

وَلَستُ أَرى نَأياً سِوى نَأيَكُم بُعدا

So no closeness brings pleasure after closeness to you,

So after your closeness, no other closeness has sweetness

and I count no separation as distance except separation from you.

And I see no remoteness except your remoteness - that is truly distant

أُحِبُّ الأُلى يَأتونَ مِن نَحوِ أَرضِها

أُحِبُّ الأُلى يَأتونَ مِن نَحوِ أَرضِها

إِلَيَّ مِنَ الرُكبانِ أَقرَبُهُم عَهدا

إِلَيَّ مِنَ الرُكبانِ أَقرَبُهُم عَهدا

I love those who come from the direction of her land

I love those who come from her land towards me

to me among the riders—those most recently with her.

Of all travelers, those most recently departed are closest

فَما نَلتَقي مِن بَعدِ يَأسٍ وَهِجرَةٍ

فَما نَلتَقي مِن بَعدِ يَأسٍ وَهِجرَةٍ

وَصَدعِ النَوى إِلّا وَجَدتُ لَها بَردا

وَصَدعِ النَوى إِلّا وَجَدتُ لَها بَردا

So whenever we meet after despair and estrangement

So whenever we meet after despair and estrangement

and separation's rift, I feel the meeting's coolness

And hearts are torn asunder, I find solace for it

عَلى كَبِدٍ قَد كادَ يُبدي بِها النَوى

عَلى كَبِدٍ قَد كادَ يُبدي بِها النَوى

صُدوعاً وَبَعضُ الناسِ يَحسَبُني جَلدا

صُدوعاً وَبَعضُ الناسِ يَحسَبُني جَلدا

upon a liver in which separation had almost revealed

In a liver that has almost laid bare the secrets within

fissures—yet some people think me strong.

And some people think me insensitive