يا سيدي كنت قبلا

يا سيدي كنت قبلا

أُنساً بهذا الطريقِ

أُنساً بهذا الطريقِ

O my lord, you were once

O my master, once before

a comfort along this road;

I took delight in this path

ومذ تغيّبت أمسى

ومذ تغيّبت أمسى

قذى بعين المشوقِ

قذى بعين المشوقِ

and since you went away, it has become

But since you've been away

a mote in the longing one’s eye.

It's become grit in the eye of the eager one.

فما مررت صباحا

فما مررت صباحا

إلا غصصت بريقي

إلا غصصت بريقي

So I never passed by in the morning

So never again did I pass morning

without choking on my saliva;

Without shedding my tears

ولا رجعت مساءً

ولا رجعت مساءً

إلا شكوتُ خفوقي

إلا شكوتُ خفوقي

nor returned in the evening

Nor return in the evening

without lamenting my heart’s pounding.

Without bewailing my pounding heart.