أَسُكّانَ نَعمانِ الأَراكِ تَيَقَّنوا

أَسُكّانَ نَعمانِ الأَراكِ تَيَقَّنوا

بِأَنَّكُمُ في رَبعِ قَلبِيَ سُكّانُ

بِأَنَّكُمُ في رَبعِ قَلبِيَ سُكّانُ

O dwellers of Naʿmān of the arak trees, be certain

The people of Numaan made the sandy hills their home

that you are dwellers in the abode of my heart.

You know you dwell within my heart's realm

وَدوموا عَلى حِفظِ الوِدادِ فَطالَما

وَدوموا عَلى حِفظِ الوِدادِ فَطالَما

بُلينا بِأَقوامٍ إِذا حُفِظوا خانوا

بُلينا بِأَقوامٍ إِذا حُفِظوا خانوا

And keep preserving affection, for so often

So stay true to cherished affection though oft we

we have been tried by people who betrayed us when shown loyalty.

Were harmed by folk who feigned affection then betrayed

رَعَينا لَهُم حِفظَ الوِدادِ فَما رَعَوا

رَعَينا لَهُم حِفظَ الوِدادِ فَما رَعَوا

وَصُنّا هَواهُم أَن يُذالَ فَما صانوا

وَصُنّا هَواهُم أَن يُذالَ فَما صانوا

We faithfully preserved affection for them, but they did not;

We tended to their love but they did not repay

and we protected our love for them from debasement, but they did not protect it.

We shielded their pride from disgrace but they did not shield

سَلوا النَومَ عَنّي مُذ تَناءَت دِيارُكُم

سَلوا النَومَ عَنّي مُذ تَناءَت دِيارُكُم

هَلِ اِكتَحَلَت بِالنَومِ لي بَعدُ أَجفانُ

هَلِ اِكتَحَلَت بِالنَومِ لي بَعدُ أَجفانُ

Ask sleep about me since your dwellings grew distant:

Ask sleep about me since your homes disappeared

have my eyelids since been lined with the kohl of sleep?

Have eyelids after that known sleep? None!

وَهَل جَرَّدَت أَسيافَ بَرقٍ دِيارُكُم

وَهَل جَرَّدَت أَسيافَ بَرقٍ دِيارُكُم

فَكانَت لَها إِلّا جُفونِيَ أَجفانُ

فَكانَت لَها إِلّا جُفونِيَ أَجفانُ

And did your dwellings unsheathe swords of lightning

Did your homes’ lightning swords bare them?

that had any scabbards but my eyelids?

Leaving only my lids as sheaths again for them