قَصَدْتُ من الزوراء صدراً معظماً

قَصَدْتُ من الزوراء صدراً معظماً

تَقَرُّ به عيني وينشرح الصدرُ

تَقَرُّ به عيني وينشرح الصدرُ

From al-Zawra I sought a greatly honored chief,

I sought from Zawra’ a generous spirit,

In whom my eye finds joy and my breast finds ease.

One that would please my eye and expand my chest,

وأمَّلْتُ فيه النفع فيما يَسُرُّني

وأمَّلْتُ فيه النفع فيما يَسُرُّني

وقد سامني ضرٌّ وقد ساءني دهر

وقد سامني ضرٌّ وقد ساءني دهر

And I hoped for benefit from him in what would gladden me,

And I hoped for benefit from it in what delights me,

For hardship had afflicted me, and time had grieved me.

Though harm has reached me and time has been unkind,

فقلتُ لنفسي والرجاء مُوَفَّرٌ

فقلتُ لنفسي والرجاء مُوَفَّرٌ

ليهنك هذا القصد والنائل الوفر

ليهنك هذا القصد والنائل الوفر

So I said to myself, with hope abundant:

So I said to myself, while hope was abundant:

“May this quest and the abundant bounty bring you joy.”

May this purpose delight me, and the attainment be plentiful,

فكنَّا به كالقلب طول حياتنا

فكنَّا به كالقلب طول حياتنا

لنا الصَّدرُ دونَ العالمين أو القبر

لنا الصَّدرُ دونَ العالمين أو القبر

So with him we were like the heart throughout our lives:

For with it we would be, throughout our lives,

Ours is the breast—the place of honor—before all others, or the grave.

Like the heart - ours alone, not the world’s or the grave’s.