سكنت إلى النوى ونسيت صبّا

سكنت إلى النوى ونسيت صبّا

نحيلاً كاد يقتلهُ الحنينُ

نحيلاً كاد يقتلهُ الحنينُ

You grew resigned to separation and forgot a lovesick lover,

I settled with my grief and forgot morning's radiance

emaciated, whom longing nearly killed.

Emaciated, almost killed by yearning

فلما لم يجد في الحب صبراً

فلما لم يجد في الحب صبراً

ولم ترحم جوانحهَ الشجون

ولم ترحم جوانحهَ الشجون

And when he found no patience in love,

When he found no patience in love

and sorrows showed his breast no mercy,

And no compassion in his sorrow

تفانى في النحول فلو تبدّى

تفانى في النحول فلو تبدّى

لما فطنت لخطرته العيون

لما فطنت لخطرته العيون

he wasted away to such thinness that, were he to appear,

He faded in his thinness, so that if he appeared

no eyes would notice his passing.

Eyes would not notice the danger in him

وها هو كالخيال أتاك يسرى

وها هو كالخيال أتاك يسرى

مخافة أن تُظَنَّ به الظنون

مخافة أن تُظَنَّ به الظنون

And behold, like a phantom, he has come to you by night,

And here he comes to you like a specter wandering

for fear that suspicions might be harbored about him.

Fearing suspicions against him

فأكرم نزله وارحم ضناهُ

فأكرم نزله وارحم ضناهُ

فإن فؤادك الحرم الأمينُ

فإن فؤادك الحرم الأمينُ

So welcome him generously and pity his wasting sickness,

So honor his visit and have mercy on his emaciation

for your heart is the safe, sacred sanctuary.

For your heart is the inviolable sanctuary