My pain endures and my eyes shed tears every day;
separation causes unbearable pain that has no reason to be!
Her name’s engraved in my burning heart;
I found no cure or counsel for my pain!
My hair’s turning white, O lord, after separation
from those I love and wish to be with again!
Such separation’s made my heart bleed
and tears run down my cheeks all day long!
I miss them so much I’m wasting away in despair;
my tears rage like ocean waves against these sad days!
All this is so unfair I wasted my life
wandering in lands of exile and feeling low!

Translation by Abdelfetah Chenni