غَداً نَغتَدي لِلبَينِ أَو نَتَروَّحُ

غَداً نَغتَدي لِلبَينِ أَو نَتَروَّحُ

وَعِندَ النَوى يَبدُو الغَرامُ المُبرِّحُ

وَعِندَ النَوى يَبدُو الغَرامُ المُبرِّحُ

Tomorrow we depart into separation, at dawn or at evening;

Tomorrow we set out for parting, in the morning or the evening.

and when parting comes, tormenting love reveals itself.

And at separation, tormenting passion reveals itself.

غَداً تُقفِرُ الأَطلالُ مِمَّن نَوَدُّهُ

غَداً تُقفِرُ الأَطلالُ مِمَّن نَوَدُّهُ

وَيُمسي غُرابُ البَينِ فيها وَيُصبِحُ

وَيُمسي غُرابُ البَينِ فيها وَيُصبِحُ

Tomorrow the encampment ruins will stand desolate, emptied of those we love,

Tomorrow the ruined camps will be empty of the one we love,

and the raven of separation will dwell there, evening and morning.

And the raven of parting will pass its evenings and mornings there.

غَداً تَذهَبُ الأَظعانُ يُمنى وَيَسرَةً

غَداً تَذهَبُ الأَظعانُ يُمنى وَيَسرَةً

وَيَحدو تَواليها نَجاحٌ وَمُنجِحُ

وَيَحدو تَواليها نَجاحٌ وَمُنجِحُ

Tomorrow the camel-litters will go rightward and leftward,

Tomorrow the caravans will go to right and left,

as Najāḥ and Munjiḥ sing their successive files onward.

And Najah and Munjih will sing their rear ranks onward.

فَيا باكياً قَبلَ النَوى خَشيَةَ النَوى

فَيا باكياً قَبلَ النَوى خَشيَةَ النَوى

رُوَيداً بِعَينٍ جَفنُها سَوفَ يَقرَحُ

رُوَيداً بِعَينٍ جَفنُها سَوفَ يَقرَحُ

O you who weep before the departure, fearing the departure,

So, you who weep before parting for fear of parting,

gently with an eye whose lid will soon be raw.

Be gentle with an eye whose lid will grow sore.

وَلا تَعجَلَن وَاِستَبقِ دَمعَكَ إِنَّني

وَلا تَعجَلَن وَاِستَبقِ دَمعَكَ إِنَّني

رَأَيتُ السَّحابَ الجَونَ بِالقَطرِ يَنزَحُ

رَأَيتُ السَّحابَ الجَونَ بِالقَطرِ يَنزَحُ

Do not be hasty; husband your tears, for I

Do not hurry; save your tears, for I

have seen the dark raincloud run dry of rain.

Have seen the dark clouds drained by rainfall.

إِذا كُنتَ تَبكي وَالأَحِبَّةِ لَم يَرِد

إِذا كُنتَ تَبكي وَالأَحِبَّةِ لَم يَرِد

ببَينهمُ إِلّا حَديثٌ مُطوَّحُ

ببَينهمُ إِلّا حَديثٌ مُطوَّحُ

If you weep when nothing has yet reached you

If you weep—and, by the beloved, nothing has come

of the beloveds’ departure but a far-flung report,

Of their parting but a far-flung report—

فَكَيفَ إِذا ما أَصبَحَت عَينُ مالِكٍ

فَكَيفَ إِذا ما أَصبَحَت عَينُ مالِكٍ

وَحَبلُ الغَضا مِن دونِهم وَالمَسيَّحُ

وَحَبلُ الغَضا مِن دونِهم وَالمَسيَّحُ

what then, when ʿAyn Mālik,

How then, when Ayn Malik lies

Ḥabl al-Ghaḍā, and al-Masīḥ lie between you and them?

Between you and them, with Habl al-Ghada and al-Masayyah?

فَكُفَّ شُؤونَ الدَمعِ حَتّى تَحُثُّها

فَكُفَّ شُؤونَ الدَمعِ حَتّى تَحُثُّها

غَداً ثُمَّ تَهمي كَيفَ شاءَت وَتَسفَحُ

غَداً ثُمَّ تَهمي كَيفَ شاءَت وَتَسفَحُ

So hold back the channels of tears until tomorrow

So hold back the channels of tears until you spur them

awakens them; then let them flow and pour as they will.

Tomorrow; then let them pour as they wish and spill.

خَليليَّ هُبّا مِن كَرى النَّومِ وَاِنظُرا

خَليليَّ هُبّا مِن كَرى النَّومِ وَاِنظُرا

مَخائِلَ هَذا البَرقِ مِن حَيثُ يَلمَحُ

مَخائِلَ هَذا البَرقِ مِن حَيثُ يَلمَحُ

My two companions, rise from the stupor of sleep and look

My two friends, rouse yourselves from sleep's drowsiness, and watch

toward the signs of this lightning, wherever it flashes.

The signs of this lightning from the quarter where it flashes.

لَقَد كِدتُ مِمّا كادَ أَن يَستَفِزَّني

لَقَد كِدتُ مِمّا كادَ أَن يَستَفِزَّني

أَبوحُ بِسِرّي في الهَوى وَأُصرِّحُ

أَبوحُ بِسِرّي في الهَوى وَأُصرِّحُ

I nearly, because of what nearly swept me away,

Indeed, because of what nearly swept me away, I almost

divulged my secret love and declared it openly.

Revealed my secret of love and declared it openly.

ذَكَرتُ بِهِ ثَغرَ الحَبيبِ وَحُسنَهُ

ذَكَرتُ بِهِ ثَغرَ الحَبيبِ وَحُسنَهُ

إِذا ما تَجَلّى ضاحِكاً وَهوَ يَمرَحُ

إِذا ما تَجَلّى ضاحِكاً وَهوَ يَمرَحُ

Through it I remembered the beloved’s mouth and its beauty,

Through it I recalled the beloved's mouth and its beauty,

whenever the beloved appeared laughing and frolicking.

When he appears smiling as he frolics.

وَيا حَبّذا ذاكَ الجَبينُ الَّذي غَدا

وَيا حَبّذا ذاكَ الجَبينُ الَّذي غَدا

يَلوحُ عَلَيهِ الزَعفَرانُ المُذَرَّحُ

يَلوحُ عَلَيهِ الزَعفَرانُ المُذَرَّحُ

And that brow—how lovely, that brow upon which

And oh, how lovely that brow, upon which now

scattered saffron gleamed.

The blended saffron gleams!

فَكَم لَيلَةٍ قَد كادَ يَخطِفُ ناظِري

فَكَم لَيلَةٍ قَد كادَ يَخطِفُ ناظِري

وَنَحنُ بِميدانِ الدُعابَةِ نَمرَحُ

وَنَحنُ بِميدانِ الدُعابَةِ نَمرَحُ

How many a night it nearly stole away my gaze,

For many a night it nearly snatched away my sight,

while we frolicked in the field of playful teasing.

While we frolicked in the arena of merriment.