بأبيmay my father be ransom واللَهِand by God مَنthe one who طَرَقاcame by night
بأبي واللَهِ مَن طَرَقا
كأبتسامِlike the smile of البَرقِlightning إذwhen خَفَقاit flashed
كأبتسامِ البَرقِ إذ خَفَقا
By God, may my father be ransom for the one who came by night,
By my father and God, he whose steps
like lightning’s smile as it flashed.
Were like the smiling lightning's flash
زادَنيheightened in me شوقاًlonging بزَورتهِthrough his visit
زادَني شوقاً بزَورتهِ
وملاand filled قلبيmy heart بهfor him حُرَقاburning anguish
وملا قلبي به حُرَقا
He heightened my longing with his visit,
Increased my longing by his visit
and filled my heart with burning anguish for him.
And filled my heart with burning yearnings
مَنwho لقلبٍfor a heart هائمٍdistraught with love دَنِفِlovesick
مَن لقلبٍ هائمٍ دَنِفِ
كلمّاwhenever سلّيتُهI consoled it قَلقاit grew restless
كلمّا سلّيتُه قَلقا
Who will help a heart distraught and lovesick,
Who shall console a restless heart
that grows restless whenever I console it?
That quivers more the more 'tis calmed?
زارنيvisited me طيفُphantom الحبيبِthe beloved فماbut not
زارني طيفُ الحبيبِ فما
زادَdid more أَنto أَغرىincite بيَagainst me الأرقاsleeplessness
زادَ أَن أَغرى بيَ الأرقا
The beloved’s phantom visited me, but it did not
The phantom of my dear one visited me
do more than set sleeplessness upon me.
But served only to redouble my unrest