أُصَلّيI pray فَأَبْكيthen I weep فيin الصَّلاةِthe prayer لِذِكرِهاbecause I remember her
أُصَلّي فَأَبْكي في الصَّلاةِ لِذِكرِها
لِيَto me الويْلُwoe مماbecause of what يكتبُwrite المَلَكانِthe two angels
لِيَ الويْلُ مما يكتبُ المَلَكانِ
I pray, then weep in prayer at the memory of her.
I pray and weep during prayers, remembering her
Woe to me for what the two angels write.
Woe to me for what the two angels record
خليليَّmy two dear friends عوجاturn aside, you two اليومَtoday وانْتَظِراand wait, you two غداًtomorrow
خليليَّ عوجا اليومَ وانْتَظِرا غداً
عليناfor us قليلاًa little while إِنَّناindeed we غَرِضانِboth restless
علينا قليلاً إِنَّنا غَرِضانِ
My two friends, turn aside today, and wait tomorrow
My love, be crooked today and wait for tomorrow
a little for us; we are both restless.
Bear with us a little, for we are two lovers
وإِنَّand indeed غداًtomorrow باليومِto today رَهْنٌheld in pledge وإِنَّماand only
وإِنَّ غداً باليومِ رَهْنٌ وإِنَّما
مَسيرُthe journey غدٍof tomorrow كاليومِlike today أوْor تَريانِyou two see
مَسيرُ غدٍ كاليومِ أوْ تَريانِ
And tomorrow is pledged to today; and indeed,
Tomorrow is hostage to today; the pace
tomorrow's journey is but like today's—or do you two see otherwise?
Of tomorrow is like today, don't you see
إِذاwhenever رُمْتُI sought هِجْراناًforsaking لهاof her حالَintervened دونَهin its way
إِذا رُمْتُ هِجْراناً لها حالَ دونَه
حِجابانِtwo veils فيin الأَحْشاءِthe inward parts مُؤْتَلِفانِjoined together
حِجابانِ في الأَحْشاءِ مُؤْتَلِفانِ
Whenever I seek to forsake her, I am thwarted by
When I desire to shun her, something prevents me
two veils within my depths, joined together.
Two veils in my heart, harmoniously entwined