هَلْ تَذكُرَنَّ بنجدٍ يومَ ينظِمُنا

هَلْ تَذكُرَنَّ بنجدٍ يومَ ينظِمُنا

لآلئاً شَمِلَتْ فيها ومَرْجانا

لآلئاً شَمِلَتْ فيها ومَرْجانا

Will you recall the day in Najd that strung us together

Do you remember the days in Najd when we would string

as pearls gathered there, and coral?

Pearls and corals together?

والرَّبعُ يُطلِعُ أقماراً ويُنْبِتُ في

والرَّبعُ يُطلِعُ أقماراً ويُنْبِتُ في

منازل الحيّ حيّ الجزع أغصانا

منازل الحيّ حيّ الجزع أغصانا

And the encampment made moons rise and sprouted, in

The meadows would bloom with flowers

the dwellings of the clan—the clan of al-Jizʿ—boughs.

In the dwellings of the living, the living full of vigor.

والعيش صَفوٌ يروق العين منظره

والعيش صَفوٌ يروق العين منظره

يهدي لأرواحنا رَوْحاً وريحانا

يهدي لأرواحنا رَوْحاً وريحانا

And life was pure delight, its sight pleasing the eye,

Life was pure, pleasing to behold,

bringing our souls repose and sweet basil.

It breathed life and fragrance into our souls.

فما ترى عينُ رائيها وإنْ طمحت

فما ترى عينُ رائيها وإنْ طمحت

إلاَّ أسوداً بميثاءٍ وغزلانا

إلاَّ أسوداً بميثاءٍ وغزلانا

So its beholder’s eye, however far it gazed, saw nothing

Yet the eyes of the seer, though they yearn,

but lions on soft sandy ground, and gazelles.

See only black oryx amid white gazelles.

من كلِّ أهيفَ حُلْويِّ اللمى غنجٍ

من كلِّ أهيفَ حُلْويِّ اللمى غنجٍ

إن ماس هَزَّ على العشاق مرّانا

إن ماس هَزَّ على العشاق مرّانا

Among them, each slender-waisted, coy one with sweet, dusky lips—

The sweet-lipped fair ones are gone from every tent,

if he swayed, he brandished ashwood lances at the lovers.

Since the departure of lovers long ago.

ولَيّنِ العَطفِ قاسي القلب لم نَرَهُ

ولَيّنِ العَطفِ قاسي القلب لم نَرَهُ

رَقَّتْ شمائلُه للصَّبِّ أو لانا

رَقَّتْ شمائلُه للصَّبِّ أو لانا

And each supple-bodied yet hard-hearted one—we never saw him

One harsh of heart we never saw softened

grow tender in his ways toward the lovelorn, or soften.

By the charms of youth or made gentle.

مضى الهوى وانقضت أيّام دولته

مضى الهوى وانقضت أيّام دولته

حتَّى كأنَّ زمان اللهو ما كانا

حتَّى كأنَّ زمان اللهو ما كانا

Love passed, and the days of its reign came to an end,

Love and its days have passed, its rule is done,

until the time of revelry seemed never to have been.

As though the days of play had never been.

ليتني سَلَوْتَ أحبّاءً مُنيتِ بهم

ليتني سَلَوْتَ أحبّاءً مُنيتِ بهم

ولا ذكرتُ على الجرعاء جيرانا

ولا ذكرتُ على الجرعاء جيرانا

Would that I had ceased pining for loved ones with whom I was afflicted,

Would that I had bid farewell to beloved ones,

and had not recalled neighbors upon al-Jarʿāʾ.

And not recalled hard neighbors over wine.

فاترك ملامَك عندي حين أذكرهم

فاترك ملامَك عندي حين أذكرهم

إساءةً منك فيهم وإحسانا

إساءةً منك فيهم وإحسانا

So spare me your reproach when I remember them,

So spare me your blame when I remember them,

whether ill or kindly meant by you toward them.

Though you mean well, it is hurtful to do so.

يا هل تراني أرى ما أستقرُّ به

يا هل تراني أرى ما أستقرُّ به

أم هل ترى قلبي الظمآن ريّانا

أم هل ترى قلبي الظمآن ريّانا

Ah, will you see me find what gives me rest,

Can you see me content with what I have now,

or will you see my thirsty heart quenched?

Or my thirsty heart quenched and satisfied?

قد كانَ دمعي عزيزاً قبل فرقتهم

قد كانَ دمعي عزيزاً قبل فرقتهم

واليوم كلُّ عزيزٍ بعدهم هانا

واليوم كلُّ عزيزٍ بعدهم هانا

My tears were precious before parting from them;

Once my tears were precious before we parted,

and today, with them gone, all that was precious is cheap.

Now all is cheap since those dear ones went away.