عملوا على سير البكور فكدت من

عملوا على سير البكور فكدت من

حَذَر أَعضُّ على الدجى بنواجذي

حَذَر أَعضُّ على الدجى بنواجذي

They resolved on an early-morning departure, so I nearly, out of

They urged me to depart at the break of dawn, but I almost

fear, bit down on the night's darkness with my molars.

Gnawed my fingers in anguish, clinging to the darkness with my claws

حتى إِذا نبذوا العهود وهوّموا

حتى إِذا نبذوا العهود وهوّموا

ناشدتهم ويدي بذيل النابذ

ناشدتهم ويدي بذيل النابذ

Until, when they cast aside their pledges and set off,

Until when they broke their covenant and schemed,

I implored them, my hand upon the pledge-breaker's hem:

I pleaded with them, grasping the hem of the covenant-breaker:

لا تذهبوا بفؤاد من عاهدتموا

لا تذهبوا بفؤاد من عاهدتموا

هذا مقام المستجير العائذ

هذا مقام المستجير العائذ

Do not go off with the heart of one you made a pledge to;

"Do not take away the heart of the one with whom you made a pact,

This is the station of one seeking protection and refuge.

This is the refuge of the supplicant seeking sanctuary."