أرحها فقد ضاقت بها سعةُ المدى

أرحها فقد ضاقت بها سعةُ المدى

وأيهاً فمن أصواتها نغمُ الحدا

وأيهاً فمن أصواتها نغمُ الحدا

Give her rest, for the vast expanse has grown too narrow for her.

Let it rest, for the spaciousness of the horizon has become too constricted for it,

And desist, for in her cries is the melody of the camel-driver's chant.

And woe! For from its voices comes the melody of mourning.

وهاتيك أعلام الحمى فابكِ ساعةً

وهاتيك أعلام الحمى فابكِ ساعةً

لعلَّ دموعَ العين ناقعةٌ صدى

لعلَّ دموعَ العين ناقعةٌ صدى

And yonder are the landmarks of the protected pasture; weep awhile,

And here are the banners of fever, so weep for an hour,

Perhaps the eye's tears will quench thirst.

Perhaps the tears of the eyes will find an echo.

وقفتُ بها أبغي هدوًّا فقدتهُ

وقفتُ بها أبغي هدوًّا فقدتهُ

فلم ألقَ إلاَّلوعةً وتلدُّدا

فلم ألقَ إلاَّلوعةً وتلدُّدا

I stood there seeking a calm I had lost,

I stood by it, seeking tranquility, but lost it,

But found only anguish and bewildered restlessness.

So I found nothing but anguish and tossing about.

سوافرُ يخجلنَ البدورَ ملاحةً

سوافرُ يخجلنَ البدورَ ملاحةً

موائس يفضحنَ الغصونَ تأوُّدا

موائس يفضحنَ الغصونَ تأوُّدا

Unveiled women shame the full moons with their beauty;

Camels with proud steps that shame the full moons in their loftiness,

Swaying women shame the branches with their supple bending.

Litters that embarrass the branches in their swaying.

يشطُّ بهم بأسي وتدنيهم المنى

يشطُّ بهم بأسي وتدنيهم المنى

فللهِ ما أدنى المزار وأبعدا

فللهِ ما أدنى المزار وأبعدا

My distress carries them far away, while hopes bring them near.

My might and their drawing near startles me,

By God, how near the meeting-place—and how far!

By Allah! How near is the sanctuary and how far away!

ثكلتُ الهوى لولاه لم أبعِ النهى

ثكلتُ الهوى لولاه لم أبعِ النهى

بجهلٍ ولا اخترت الضلال على الهدى

بجهلٍ ولا اخترت الضلال على الهدى

May I be bereft of love! Without it, I would not have bartered reason

I have lost my love for passion, were it not for it I would not

For ignorance, nor chosen error over guidance.

Have sold my creed through ignorance, nor chosen misguidance over guidance.

ولا كنتُ أهوى القدَّ لدناً مهفهفاً

ولا كنتُ أهوى القدَّ لدناً مهفهفاً

ولا الظبي مصقولَ الترائب أغيدا

ولا الظبي مصقولَ الترائب أغيدا

Nor would I have loved a supple, slender-waisted figure,

Nor would I be passionately inclined to a delicate, bending branch,

Nor a gazelle, smooth of breast and lissome.

Or a wild doe with polished sides and neck.

ولا يتَّمتني غادةٌ نغماتها

ولا يتَّمتني غادةٌ نغماتها

تنسّيك ألحان الغريض ومعبدا

تنسّيك ألحان الغريض ومعبدا

Nor would a tender maiden have orphaned me, whose notes

Nor would a singing gazelle enchant me with her melodies

Make you forget the melodies of al-Gharīḍ and Maʿbad.

That make you forget the songs of the sandgrouse and oryx.

يخاف فؤادي لحظها في جفونه

يخاف فؤادي لحظها في جفونه

كذا السيف مسلولا يخاف ومغمدا

كذا السيف مسلولا يخاف ومغمدا

My heart fears her glance within its eyelid-sheaths;

My heart fears her glance falling upon it,

So the sword is feared, both drawn and sheathed.

As an unsheathed sword fears and when sheathed.

بها كحلٌ يغنى به عن شبيهه

بها كحلٌ يغنى به عن شبيهه

فلم ترَ إلاَّ صبغة الليل إثمدا

فلم ترَ إلاَّ صبغة الليل إثمدا

Her natural kohl-darkness leaves no need for its like;

With her is a kohl that makes all others redundant,

So you see no antimony but the dye of night.

For you will not see any but the blackness of night brought to perfection.

لي اللَّه من وجه الغزالةِ في الضحى

لي اللَّه من وجه الغزالةِ في الضحى

أضاءَ ومن قدّ القضيب تأوَّدا

أضاءَ ومن قدّ القضيب تأوَّدا

God help me against the face of the sun at forenoon,

By Allah! The radiance of the gazelle’s face in the morning,

That shone, and against the bough-like figure that swayed;

And the bending of the bow when drawn.

ومن جمرةٍ يزداد بالنار بردها

ومن جمرةٍ يزداد بالنار بردها

وجمرٍ بماء الوجنتين توقَّدا

وجمرٍ بماء الوجنتين توقَّدا

And against an ember whose coolness grows in fire,

And the live coal that increases its coolness through the fire,

And embers kindled by the moisture of both cheeks.

And the embers that blaze with the water of eternal life.

ولو كنتُ غير الحب أشكو أو النوى

ولو كنتُ غير الحب أشكو أو النوى

دعوتُ له الملك العزيزَ المؤيَّدا

دعوتُ له الملك العزيزَ المؤيَّدا

And were I complaining of anything but love or separation,

And if I were to complain of anything other than love or passion,

I would seek help for it from King al-ʿAzīz al-Muʾayyad.

I would call upon the Almighty, All-Powerful Helper.