ركب الحجاز سرى الحادي بهم ودنا

ركب الحجاز سرى الحادي بهم ودنا

وخلفوني أقاسي الشوق والحزنا

وخلفوني أقاسي الشوق والحزنا

The chanting camel-driver led the Hijaz caravan by night and drew near.

The pilgrims of Hejaz departed, traveling by night

And they left me behind to suffer longing and sorrow.

And they left me suffering longing and grief

ومذ رأوني بأرض الشام مرتهنا

ومذ رأوني بأرض الشام مرتهنا

شدوا المطايا وقد نالوا المُنى بِمِنى

شدوا المطايا وقد نالوا المُنى بِمِنى

And when they saw me held fast in the land of al-Sham,

Since they saw me detained in the land of Syria

They saddled the mounts, having attained their wishes at Mina.

They hastened the camels, having attained their wishes in Minā

وكلهم بأليم الشوق قد باحا

وكلهم بأليم الشوق قد باحا

تلك البلاد سرت فينا منائحها

تلك البلاد سرت فينا منائحها

And all of them had voiced the anguish of longing.

All of them lamenting painful longing

The gifts of those lands have coursed through us.

Those lands roamed among us with their elegies

وقد تباشر غاديها ورائحها

وقد تباشر غاديها ورائحها

وحين لذَّ لهم في الأرض سائحها

وحين لذَّ لهم في الأرض سائحها

And their morning and evening travelers exchanged glad tidings.

As their departing and arriving mingled

And when their wayfarer on earth became a delight to them,

And when their wanderers delighted in the land

سارت ركائبهم تندى روائحها

سارت ركائبهم تندى روائحها

طيباً بما طاب ذاك الوفد أشباحا

طيباً بما طاب ذاك الوفد أشباحا

Their mounts set out, their scents dripping

Their caravans marched, scattering their fragrance

With perfume, for that company had grown fragrant in body.

With the pilgrims who perfumed that blessed throng

هم الرجال أجل الوافدين همُ

هم الرجال أجل الوافدين همُ

لنحو أحبابهم قد أسرعت همم

لنحو أحبابهم قد أسرعت همم

They are the men; they are the noblest visitors.

They are the noblest of all pilgrims

Their aspirations have hastened toward their beloved ones.

Their spirits hastened towards their loved ones

طابوا بطيبة طيباً وانجلت غمم

طابوا بطيبة طيباً وانجلت غمم

نسيم قرب النبي المصطفى لهم

نسيم قرب النبي المصطفى لهم

They grew fragrant in Taybah, and sorrows lifted.

They prospered in prosperity and their worries disappeared

The breeze of nearness to the Prophet, the Chosen One, is for them

With the breeze of the proximity to the Chosen Prophet for them

روح إذا شربوا من ذكره راحا

روح إذا شربوا من ذكره راحا

أواه لم أقض يوم البين من وطر

أواه لم أقض يوم البين من وطر

Refreshment, when they drink wine from remembrance of him.

A spirit which, when they drank from his mention, rested

Alas! On the day of parting I fulfilled no desire.

Oh how I have not finished a day of separation and yearning

والشوق ألقى فؤاد الصب في خطر

والشوق ألقى فؤاد الصب في خطر

فصحت للبدو لما كنت في حضر

فصحت للبدو لما كنت في حضر

And longing cast the ardent lover’s heart into peril.

And longing cast the heart of the youth into danger

So I cried out to the desert folk while I was in town:

So I called out to the nomads when I was among the settled

يا سائرين إلى المختار من مضر

يا سائرين إلى المختار من مضر

سرتم جسوماً وسرنا نحن أرواحا

سرتم جسوماً وسرنا نحن أرواحا

O travelers to the Chosen One of Mudar,

"O you who travel to the Chosen One from Mudar

You journeyed as bodies, and we ourselves journeyed as spirits.

You traveled physically while we traveled spiritually"

كم ذا أسلي فؤادي قصد محضرة

كم ذا أسلي فؤادي قصد محضرة

لهم وروحي عنه غير صابرة

لهم وروحي عنه غير صابرة

How long shall I console my heart, seeking a gathering

How much will comfort my heart that longs for their dwellings

Of theirs, while my soul cannot bear being apart from him?

And my soul is impatient towards it

وكم نقول لهم من غير مقدرة

وكم نقول لهم من غير مقدرة

إنا أقمنا على عجز ومعذرة

إنا أقمنا على عجز ومعذرة

And how often, powerless, we tell them:

And how much we say without ability

Indeed, we stayed behind through inability, with an excuse;

That we remained incapacitated and excused

ومن أقام على عجز كمن راحا

ومن أقام على عجز كمن راحا

And whoever stays behind through inability is like one who has gone.

And whoever remains incapacitated is like one who rested