يا رَبِّ إِنَّكَ قَد عَلِمتَ بِأَنَّها

يا رَبِّ إِنَّكَ قَد عَلِمتَ بِأَنَّها

أَهوى عِبادِكَ كُلِّهِم إِنسانا

أَهوى عِبادِكَ كُلِّهِم إِنسانا

O my Lord, You already know that she is

O Lord, You know that of all Your servants, humankind

The person dearest to me of all Your servants.

Is dearest to us, and the sweetest boon of all

وَأَلَذُّهُم نُعمٌ إِلَينا واحِداً

وَأَلَذُّهُم نُعمٌ إِلَينا واحِداً

وَأَحَبُّ مَن نَأتي وَمَن حَيّانا

وَأَحَبُّ مَن نَأتي وَمَن حَيّانا

And Nuʿm alone is the most delightful of them to us,

Is the one we love, whether present or absent.

And dearest of those we visit and those who greet us.

So reward the lover with a greeting, and reward him

فَاِجزِ المُحِبَّ تَحِيَّةً وَاِجزِ الَّذي

فَاِجزِ المُحِبَّ تَحِيَّةً وَاِجزِ الَّذي

يَبغي قَطيعَةَ حُبِّهِ هِجرانا

يَبغي قَطيعَةَ حُبِّهِ هِجرانا

So reward the lover with a greeting, and reward whoever

Who desires to sever the bonds of love with estrangement.

Seeks to sever his love, with estrangement.

Amen, O Lord of the Throne, so hear us and grant

آمينُ يا ذا العَرشِ فَاِسمَع وَاِستَجِب

آمينُ يا ذا العَرشِ فَاِسمَع وَاِستَجِب

لِما نَقولُ وَلا تُخَيِّب دُعانا

لِما نَقولُ وَلا تُخَيِّب دُعانا

Amen, O Lord of the Throne: hear and answer

What we ask, and do not disappoint our hopes.

What we say, and do not let our prayer go unanswered.

I have been burdened by my love for you with a monstrous load,

حُمِّلتُ مِن حُبَّيكِ ثِقلاً فادِحاً

حُمِّلتُ مِن حُبَّيكِ ثِقلاً فادِحاً

وَالحُبُّ يُحدِثُ لِلفَتى أَحزانا

وَالحُبُّ يُحدِثُ لِلفَتى أَحزانا

I have been burdened with a crushing weight through loving you,

For love brings the youth anguish and sorrow.

And love brings sorrows to a young man.

If you were to show us your coquetry, we would wish

لَو تَبذُلينَ لَنا دَلالَكِ لَم نُرِد

لَو تَبذُلينَ لَنا دَلالَكِ لَم نُرِد

غَيرَ الدَلالِ وَكانَ ذاكَ كَفانا

غَيرَ الدَلالِ وَكانَ ذاكَ كَفانا

If you would grant us your coquetry, we would seek

For nothing else, for that would suffice.

Nothing but that coquetry; it would have sufficed us.

Yet for me you obeyed slanderers who blamed you,

وَأَطَعتِ فِيَّ عَواذِلاً حَمَّلنَكُم

وَأَطَعتِ فِيَّ عَواذِلاً حَمَّلنَكُم

وَعَصَيتُ فيكِ الأَهلَ وَالإِخوانا

وَعَصَيتُ فيكِ الأَهلَ وَالإِخوانا

And you obeyed reproaching women about me, who pressured you,

While you disobeyed, for my sake, family and brothers.

While I defied my family and brothers for you.

I was told that when our letter came to you,

أُنبِئتُ أَنَّكِ إِذ أَتاكِ كِتابُنا

أُنبِئتُ أَنَّكِ إِذ أَتاكِ كِتابُنا

أَعرَضتِ عِندَ قِراتِكِ العُنوانا

أَعرَضتِ عِندَ قِراتِكِ العُنوانا

I was told that, when our letter reached you,

You glanced at the address and tossed it aside

You turned away upon reading its address.

Like a stick, which pained me deeply.

وَنَبَذتِهِ كَالعودِ حينَ رَأَيتِهِ

وَنَبَذتِهِ كَالعودِ حينَ رَأَيتِهِ

فَاِشتَدَّ ذاكَ عَلَيَّ مِنكِ وَسانا

فَاِشتَدَّ ذاكَ عَلَيَّ مِنكِ وَسانا

And cast it aside like a stick when you saw it;

Then, still scornful, you read it, defiant.

That act of yours weighed heavily on me and grieved us.

You said, “The messenger has lied. I have lost him

وَأَخَذتِهِ بَعدَ الصُدودِ تَكَرُّهاً

وَأَخَذتِهِ بَعدَ الصُدودِ تَكَرُّهاً

وَأَشَعتِ عِندَ قِراتِهِ عِصيانا

وَأَشَعتِ عِندَ قِراتِهِ عِصيانا

And you took it, after turning away, reluctantly,

For spreading falsehoods, hoping for favors.”

And made your defiance known as you read it.

"The messenger lied"—question the source of this tale,

قالَت لَقَد كَذَبَ الرَسولُ فَقَدتُهُ

قالَت لَقَد كَذَبَ الرَسولُ فَقَدتُهُ

أَبِقَولِ زورٍ يَرتَجي إِحسانا

أَبِقَولِ زورٍ يَرتَجي إِحسانا

She said: “The messenger lied—may I lose him!

And do not be hasty to judge.

Does he hope for kindness through lying words?

No, it came to me and I read it happily,

كَذَبَ الرَسولُ فَسَل مُعادَةَ هَكَذا

كَذَبَ الرَسولُ فَسَل مُعادَةَ هَكَذا

كانَ الحَديثُ وَلا تَكُن عَجلانا

كانَ الحَديثُ وَلا تَكُن عَجلانا

The messenger lied; ask Muʿāda. This is how

My face smiling, and after smiling, weeping.

The matter unfolded; do not be hasty.

I said, “If only the news it bears, apart from Nazirah’s,

بَل جاءَني فَقَرَأتُهُ مُتَهَلِّلاً

بَل جاءَني فَقَرَأتُهُ مُتَهَلِّلاً

وَجهي وَبَعدَ تَهَلُّلٍ أَبكانا

وَجهي وَبَعدَ تَهَلُّلٍ أَبكانا

Rather, it reached me, and I read it with

Were from a loyal friend, not one who betrays our secret to enemies.”

My face beaming; after that joy, it made us weep.

I have done no wrong in what I did. Rather,

قَد قُلتُ حينَ رَأَيتُهُ لَو أَنَّهُ

قَد قُلتُ حينَ رَأَيتُهُ لَو أَنَّهُ

يا بِشرَ مِنهُ سِوى نَصيرَةَ جانا

يا بِشرَ مِنهُ سِوى نَصيرَةَ جانا

I said when I saw it, ‘If only it had been

The generous one rewards those who cheat and betray.

Someone other than Naṣīra who came to us from him, O Bishr!’

I cut your tie when you cut it, for I was told

أَرسَلتَ أَكذَبَ مَن مَشى وَأَنَمَّهُ

أَرسَلتَ أَكذَبَ مَن مَشى وَأَنَمَّهُ

مَن لَيسَ يَكتُمُ سِرَّنا أَعدانا

مَن لَيسَ يَكتُمُ سِرَّنا أَعدانا

You sent the greatest liar of all who walk, and their worst talebearer,

You had fallen for Siwan.

One who does not keep our secret—our greatest enemy.

That was a sin after the sin you committed

ما إِن ظَلَمتُ بِما فَعَلتُ وَإِنَّما

ما إِن ظَلَمتُ بِما فَعَلتُ وَإِنَّما

يَجزي العَطِيَّةَ مَن أَرابَ وَخانا

يَجزي العَطِيَّةَ مَن أَرابَ وَخانا

I did no wrong in what I did; it merely

That wounded my heart, and other wounds like it.

Repays with that gift one who stirred mistrust and betrayed.

You were blunt about it, not hiding the fact

وَصَرَمتُ حَبلَكَ إِذ صَرَمتَ لِأَنَّني

وَصَرَمتُ حَبلَكَ إِذ صَرَمتَ لِأَنَّني

أُخبُرتُ أَنَّكَ قَد هَويتَ سِوانا

أُخبُرتُ أَنَّكَ قَد هَويتَ سِوانا

And I severed your cord when you severed it, because I

That you wanted nothing to do with me.

Was told you had fallen in love with someone other than us.

I said, “Listen, do not hastily sever ties.

هَذا وَذَنبٌ قَبلَ ذاكَ جَنَيتَهُ

هَذا وَذَنبٌ قَبلَ ذاكَ جَنَيتَهُ

سَلَّ الفُؤادَ وَمِثلُهُ سَلّانا

سَلَّ الفُؤادَ وَمِثلُهُ سَلّانا

This, and an offense you committed before that,

I swear sincerely I speak the truth.”

Wore down the heart, and the like of it made us forget.

“The talebearer who brought you this news is a liar

صَرَّحتَ فيهِ وَما كَتَمتَ مُجاهِراً

صَرَّحتَ فيهِ وَما كَتَمتَ مُجاهِراً

بِالقَولِ إِنَّكَ لا تُريدُ لِقانا

بِالقَولِ إِنَّكَ لا تُريدُ لِقانا

You spoke plainly of it, concealing nothing, openly

Seeking to cut the cord between us.”

Saying that you did not wish to meet us.”

Do not combine estrangement and groundless divorce.

قُلتُ اِسمَعي لا تَعجَلي بِقَطيعَةٍ

قُلتُ اِسمَعي لا تَعجَلي بِقَطيعَةٍ

بِاللَهِ أَحلِفُ صادِقاً أَيمانا

بِاللَهِ أَحلِفُ صادِقاً أَيمانا

I said: “Listen; do not rush to break our bond.

Understand me and be certain of my certainty.

By God, I swear truthful oaths:

To those I love and befriend

إِنَّ المُبَلِّغَكِ الحَديثَ لَكاذِبٌ

إِنَّ المُبَلِّغَكِ الحَديثَ لَكاذِبٌ

يَسعى لِيَقطَعَ بَينَنا الأَقنانا

يَسعى لِيَقطَعَ بَينَنا الأَقنانا

The one who brought you that report is surely a liar,

I am intimate and gentle, not aloof or haughty.

Seeking to cut off the slaves between us.

I draw near to a friend when he desires closeness,

لا تَجمَعي صَرمي وَهَجري باطِلاً

لا تَجمَعي صَرمي وَهَجري باطِلاً

وَتَفَهَّمي وَاِستَيقِني اِستيقانا

وَتَفَهَّمي وَاِستَيقِني اِستيقانا

Do not both cut me off and forsake me without cause;

And I avoid him like he avoids me, at times.

Understand, and be absolutely certain.

If he shuns me, I treat the one who turns away with respect,

إِنّي لِمَن وادَدتُهُ وَوَصَلتُهُ

إِنّي لِمَن وادَدتُهُ وَوَصَلتُهُ

أُلفيتُ لا مَذِقاً وَلا مَنّانا

أُلفيتُ لا مَذِقاً وَلا مَنّانا

Toward anyone I have loved and kept ties with,

Yet find, when he leaves, another place and home,

I have proved neither insincere nor one who holds favors over others.

Not divulging his secret in estrangement,

أَصِلُ الصَديقَ إِذا أَرادَ وِصالَنا

أَصِلُ الصَديقَ إِذا أَرادَ وِصالَنا

وَأَصُدُّ مِثلَ صُدودِهِ أَحيانا

وَأَصُدُّ مِثلَ صُدودِهِ أَحيانا

I keep ties with a friend when he desires closeness with us,

But guarding what he trusted me with.

And sometimes turn away as he turns away.

إِن صَدَّ عَنّي كُنتُ أَكرَمَ مُعرِضٍ

إِن صَدَّ عَنّي كُنتُ أَكرَمَ مُعرِضٍ

وَوَجَدتُ عَنهُ مَرحَلاً وَمَكانا

وَوَجَدتُ عَنهُ مَرحَلاً وَمَكانا

If he turns away from me, I am the most gracious of those who withdraw,

And find a place to go and a place away from him,

لا مُفشِياً عِندَ القَطيعَةِ سِرَّهُ

لا مُفشِياً عِندَ القَطيعَةِ سِرَّهُ

بَل حافِظٌ مِن ذاكَ ما اِستَرعانا

بَل حافِظٌ مِن ذاكَ ما اِستَرعانا

Not divulging his secret when we part,

But guarding whatever of it he entrusted to our care.”