على اللوى رسم دار

على اللوى رسم دار

لزينب ونوار

لزينب ونوار

At al-Liwa lies the trace of a dwelling

On the ruins is drawn a house

belonging to Zaynab and Nawar.

For Zainab and Noor

إذا ضللت هداني

إذا ضللت هداني

لها شميم العرار

لها شميم العرار

When I lose my way, I am guided

If I go astray, guide me

by the scent of her arar blossoms.

It has the fragrance of meadowsweet

كأن دارين فضت

كأن دارين فضت

لها ذكي العطار

لها ذكي العطار

As though Darin had poured forth

As if two houses were built

for her its heady perfume.

For it, the perfumer gave ambergris

يا أيها الرسم حيى

يا أيها الرسم حيى

ثراك صوب القطار

ثراك صوب القطار

O trace of the dwelling, may it greet

O drawing, live on!

your soil—the pouring rain.

May its dust blow towards the train

أين الوجوه اللواتي

أين الوجوه اللواتي

كأنهن الدراري

كأنهن الدراري

Where are the faces that

Where are the beautiful faces that

seemed like brilliant stars?

Were like pearls?

إنا جميعاً غدونا

إنا جميعاً غدونا

بعد النوى في اسار

بعد النوى في اسار

Indeed, all of us have come to be,

We all became, after yearning

after separation, in bondage.

Prisoners in shackles

سلبت نور جمال

سلبت نور جمال

كما سلبت اصطباري

كما سلبت اصطباري

You were robbed of beauty's light,

It took away the light of beauty

as I was robbed of my patience,

As it took away my patience

غداة زمت ببين

غداة زمت ببين

انيقهم والمهارى

انيقهم والمهارى

on the morning they were bridled for departure—

In the morning when I was with

their she-camels and Mahri camels.

Their elegant and skilled women

وفي الظعون مهاة

وفي الظعون مهاة

تحمي باسد الغوار

تحمي باسد الغوار

And among the camel-litters was an oryx,

And in the braids a longing

guarded by lions of battle.

That protects like a lion of the jungles

كأن في وجنتيها

كأن في وجنتيها

يوانع الجلنار

يوانع الجلنار

As though upon her cheeks

As if in her cheeks

pomegranate blossoms were in full bloom.

Were the roses of Jalanar

ساروا ولكن بصبري

ساروا ولكن بصبري

وسلوتي وقراري

وسلوتي وقراري

They departed, but with my patience,

They walked away but with my patience

and my solace and my repose.

And my solace and tranquility

وقد بقيت ولكن

وقد بقيت ولكن

للوعة وأوار

للوعة وأوار

And I remained, but only

And I remained but

for anguish and burning heat.

With sorrow and grief

والقلب سار جنيباً

والقلب سار جنيباً

مع الظعون السواري

مع الظعون السواري

And my heart journeyed like a led horse,

And my heart walked stealthily

with the camel-litters traveling by night.

With the caravans of the braceleted women

خالستها لحظ عين

خالستها لحظ عين

والقلب يصلى بنار

والقلب يصلى بنار

I exchanged a furtive glance with her,

I glanced at her for a moment

while my heart burned in fire.

And my heart prays with fire

لولا الرقيب ارتنا

لولا الرقيب ارتنا

أنساً بذاك النفار

أنساً بذاك النفار

Were it not for the watcher, she would have shown us

If not for the watcher I would have

warmth amid that shying away.

Forgotten myself in that departure

وقد اشارت بكف

وقد اشارت بكف

وودعت بازورار

وودعت بازورار

And she gestured with her hand,

She gestured with her palm

and bade farewell, turning aside.

And bid farewell with her bracelets

قد كان ليلي مضيئاً

قد كان ليلي مضيئاً

فحال ضوء نهاري

فحال ضوء نهاري

My night had once been radiant,

My night used to be bright

then the light of my day faded.

But the light of my day darkened

فهل يعود الينا

فهل يعود الينا

عهد الليالي القصار

عهد الليالي القصار

Will it return to us, then—

Will the days of short nights

the time of those short nights?

Return to us?