لِلعيسِ شَوقٌ قادها نحو السري

لِلعيسِ شَوقٌ قادها نحو السري

لَمَّا دعا أجْفَانَها دَاعي الكرى

لَمَّا دعا أجْفَانَها دَاعي الكرى

A longing drove the white camels to journey by night,

Yearning led the doe toward the stream

When slumber's caller summoned their eyelids.

When slumber called to her eyelids

أرخ الازمَّة واتبعْها إِنهَّا

أرخ الازمَّة واتبعْها إِنهَّا

تدري الحمى النَّجْدِيّ مع من درى

تدري الحمى النَّجْدِيّ مع من درى

Loosen the reins and follow them, for they

The era relaxed its reins and followed her

Know Najd's sanctuary, along with those who know.

For it knows the Najdi fever along with one who knows

حُثِّ الرَكاب فقدْ بدت سَلْعُ لنَا

حُثِّ الرَكاب فقدْ بدت سَلْعُ لنَا

وانِزلْ يمينَ الشعبِ من وادي القرى

وانِزلْ يمينَ الشعبِ من وادي القرى

Urge on the mounts: Salʿ has come into view before us.

Hasten the mounts for merchandise has appeared for us

And alight to the right of the ravine in Wadi al-Qura.

And descend on the right side of the valley of villages

واشتمَّ ذَاك الترْبَ إِذْ ما جِئْتَهُ

واشتمَّ ذَاك الترْبَ إِذْ ما جِئْتَهُ

تُلْفيه عنْدَ الشمِّ مسْكا اذفَرَا

تُلْفيه عنْدَ الشمِّ مسْكا اذفَرَا

And smell that dust when you come to it;

And smell that soil when you come to it

You will find it, on smelling it, to be intensely fragrant musk.

Finding musk therein when the north wind blows

فإذا وصلْتَ إِلى العَقيق فَقُلْ لهُمْ

فإذا وصلْتَ إِلى العَقيق فَقُلْ لهُمْ

قَلْبُ المتيم في الخيَامِ قَدْ انْبرَى

قَلْبُ المتيم في الخيَامِ قَدْ انْبرَى

Then, when you reach al-ʿAqiq, say to them:

So when you arrive at Al-Aqeeq, tell them:

The love-stricken heart has wasted away amid the tents.

The heart of Mutayyam in the tents has fled

عانقْ مَغَانيِهمْ إِذا لَمْ تَلْقهُمْ

عانقْ مَغَانيِهمْ إِذا لَمْ تَلْقهُمْ

واقْنَعْ فَقَدَ يُجْزي عن المْاء الثرَّى

واقْنَعْ فَقَدَ يُجْزي عن المْاء الثرَّى

Embrace their dwelling places if you do not meet them,

Embrace their singing girls if you do not find them

And be content, for moist earth may serve in place of water.

And be content, for dust may suffice for water

يا أهْلَ رَامةَ كمْ أرومُ وصالكمُ

يا أهْلَ رَامةَ كمْ أرومُ وصالكمُ

وأبيعُ فِيهِ العمرَ لوْ ما يشْترَى

وأبيعُ فِيهِ العمرَ لوْ ما يشْترَى

O people of Ramah, how I long for union with you!

O people of Rammah, how I wish and hope for your company,

And I would sell my life for it, if only it could be bought.

And would sell a lifetime for it, if it could be bought

وأشّد عروة قُربِكمْ بيد الرّضى

وأشّد عروة قُربِكمْ بيد الرّضى

والدَّهْرُ يفْصمُ ما أشُدُ من العرىَ

والدَّهْرُ يفْصمُ ما أشُدُ من العرىَ

And I fasten the bond of nearness to you with the hand of contentment,

I grasp the bond of your nearness by the hand of consent

While time breaks whatever bonds I fasten.

While fate severs what I have grasped more stubborn than a rope

أهْلاً وسهْلاً كل ما تَرضونَه

أهْلاً وسهْلاً كل ما تَرضونَه

فَلقدْ رَضيتُ وما رأيتمْ لي أرَى

فَلقدْ رَضيتُ وما رأيتمْ لي أرَى

All that pleases you is most welcome,

Greetings and ease, whatever you wish

For I am content, and what you deem right for me, I deem right.

For I am pleased, though I have not seen what I hoped