كَأَنَّ اِبنَةَ الزَيدِيِّ يَومَ لَقيتُها

كَأَنَّ اِبنَةَ الزَيدِيِّ يَومَ لَقيتُها

هُنَيدَةَ مَكحولُ المَدامِعِ مُرشِقُ

هُنَيدَةَ مَكحولُ المَدامِعِ مُرشِقُ

As though al-Zaydi’s daughter, on the day I met her—

As if the daughter of Zaydi when I met her one day

As if the daughter of Al-Zaidi, the day I met her, was a wild doe, kohl-eyed and graceful of neck,

Hunayda—were a gazelle with kohl-dark eye-corners and outstretched neck,

Was Like Hind bent with weeping, eyes overflowing

Watching over a fawn, shaking the shrubs for him, reaching for the lote-tree branches and clinging on.

تُراعي خَذولاً يَنفُضُ المُردَ شادِناً

تُراعي خَذولاً يَنفُضُ المُردَ شادِناً

تَنوشُ مِنَ الضالِ القِذافَ وَتَعلَقُ

تَنوشُ مِنَ الضالِ القِذافَ وَتَعلَقُ

a weaned fawn watching a lone doe and shaking down arak berries,

She was herding a gazelle, shaking its coat

And I said to him one day in the valley of Mabayid: "Is it not that every captive, save yours, is eventually set free?"

reaching for the tall wild lote trees and browsing.

Drinking from a lost one’s waterskin, clinging to it

"He encounters one day some generosity from a master, who takes a ransom of wealth or grants charity."

وَقُلتُ لَهُ يَوماً بَوادي مَبايِضٍ

وَقُلتُ لَهُ يَوماً بَوادي مَبايِضٍ

أَلا كُلُّ عانٍ غَيرَ عانيكَ يُعتَقُ

أَلا كُلُّ عانٍ غَيرَ عانيكَ يُعتَقُ

And I said to him one day in the valley of Mabayid:

And I said to him one day in Mabayadh valley

But ruins upon which a torrential rain had poured reminded me of her after I had forgotten,

“Behold, every captive except your captive is set free;

“Is not every goat, except your goat, set free?

In the regions of Shammat, as if their traces were the patterned work of a skilled artisan on tooled leather.

يُصادِفُ يَوماً مِن مَليكٍ سَماحَةً

يُصادِفُ يَوماً مِن مَليكٍ سَماحَةً

فَيَأخُذُ عَرضَ المالِ أَو يَتَصَدَّقُ

فَيَأخُذُ عَرضَ المالِ أَو يَتَصَدَّقُ

some day he finds generosity from a master,

One day it will meet a generous king

I stood by them while the sun was near its setting, and longing stirred the heart of the one who yearns.

who accepts goods as ransom or grants freedom in charity.”

Who will take it as wealth or give charity”

I waited briefly, but when they remained silent to my call, I sought solace to forget her, while my tears trickled down.

وَذَكَّرَنيها بَعدَ ما قَد نَسيتُها

وَذَكَّرَنيها بَعدَ ما قَد نَسيتُها

دِيارٌ عَلَيها وابِلٌ مُتَبَعِّقُ

دِيارٌ عَلَيها وابِلٌ مُتَبَعِّقُ

And, after I had forgotten her, I was reminded of her

And it reminded me of her, after I’d forgotten her

For the dwelling brings her near to us only for a fleeting moment, nor does love for her wear out despite the far distance.

by dwellings upon which a gushing downpour fell,

A land where abundant rains pour down

بِأَكنافِ شَمّاتٍ كَأَنَّ رُسومَها

بِأَكنافِ شَمّاتٍ كَأَنَّ رُسومَها

قَضيمُ صَناعٍ في أَديمٍ مُنَمَّقُ

قَضيمُ صَناعٍ في أَديمٍ مُنَمَّقُ

on the outskirts of Shammat, whose traces seemed

In the bosom of critics, as if its outlines

like a craftswoman’s white-leather work on an ornamented hide.

Were etched by a craftsman on gilded leather

وَقَفتُ بِها وَالشَمسُ دونَ مَغيبِها

وَقَفتُ بِها وَالشَمسُ دونَ مَغيبِها

قَريباً وَهاجَ الشَوقُ مَن يَتَشَوَّقُ

قَريباً وَهاجَ الشَوقُ مَن يَتَشَوَّقُ

I stood there—the sun short of its setting,

I stood by it as the sun neared setting

close to it, and yearning stirred the one who yearned—

And yearning stirred in those who yearn

قَليلاً فَلَما اِستَعجَمَت عَن جَوابِنا

قَليلاً فَلَما اِستَعجَمَت عَن جَوابِنا

تَعَزَّيتُ عَنها وَالدُموعُ تَرَقرَقُ

تَعَزَّيتُ عَنها وَالدُموعُ تَرَقرَقُ

for a little while; then, when they gave us no reply,

After a little, when she hurried me for an answer

I sought solace for her absence, while tears trembled.

I resigned myself and tears began to flow

فَلا الدارُ تُدنيها لَنا غَيرَ فَينَةٍ

فَلا الدارُ تُدنيها لَنا غَيرَ فَينَةٍ

وَلا حُبُّها عَن شاحِطِ النَأيِ يُخلِقُ

وَلا حُبُّها عَن شاحِطِ النَأيِ يُخلِقُ

So the dwelling does not bring her near us, save for a moment,

Neither can the house bring her near to me but as a phantom

nor does love of her wear thin with the great distance of separation.

Nor does love for her diminish with remoteness