خذا من صبا نجد امانا لقلبه

خذا من صبا نجد امانا لقلبه

فقد هاله الدمع الملح بصبه

فقد هاله الدمع الملح بصبه

Obtain from Najd’s east wind a pledge of safety for his heart;

He took refuge in the youth of Najd to protect his heart

For the relentless tears have frightened him with their pouring.

For his tears with their salt have confused him

ومذ جذبته للهوى نفحة الصبا

ومذ جذبته للهوى نفحة الصبا

فقد كاد رياها يطير بلبه

فقد كاد رياها يطير بلبه

And since a breath of the east wind drew him toward love,

And since the breeze of youth has pulled him to passion

Its fragrance has nearly carried away his reason.

His reason has almost flown away with his mind

وأياكما ذاك النسيم فإنه

وأياكما ذاك النسيم فإنه

كفيل لذي الوجد الكمين بسلبه

كفيل لذي الوجد الكمين بسلبه

Beware, you two, of that breeze, for it

And beware of that breeze, for it

Is sure to rob whoever harbors hidden longing.

Is guaranteed to ignite hidden passion and rob it

نسيم تهز الروح هزة نشره

نسيم تهز الروح هزة نشره

إذا هب كان الوجد ايسر خطبه

إذا هب كان الوجد ايسر خطبه

A breeze whose wafting fragrance shakes the soul;

A breeze that shakes the soul with its gusts

When it blows, longing is the lightest of its trials.

If it blows, passion becomes easier to obtain

خليلي لو احببتما لعلمتا

خليلي لو احببتما لعلمتا

بهين فأح الغراموصعبه

بهين فأح الغراموصعبه

My two friends, had you loved, you would have known

My friend if you fall in love you will know

The ease of [unclear] passion and its hardship;

How difficult and agonizing love can be

ومهدتما عذرا به وعرفتما

ومهدتما عذرا به وعرفتما

مكان الهوى من مغرم القلب صبه

مكان الهوى من مغرم القلب صبه

And you would have found an excuse in it, and understood

And you will have an excuse for it and know

Love’s place in the heart of its infatuated, ardent lover.

The place of passion in the love-sick heart

تذكروا الذكرى تشوق وذو الهوى

تذكروا الذكرى تشوق وذو الهوى

مشوق ولوه ليس يدري بدربه

مشوق ولوه ليس يدري بدربه

Remember: remembrance stirs longing, and one in love

Remember the memories that yearn, and the passionate one

Is yearning and bewildered, not knowing his way.

Yearns even if he doesn't know his way

خفوق فؤاد اذ يحاضر حبه

خفوق فؤاد اذ يحاضر حبه

يتوق ومن يعلق به الحب يصبه

يتوق ومن يعلق به الحب يصبه

Fluttering at heart when he converses with his beloved,

A fluttering heart when it harbors its love

He yearns; whoever love fastens on, it afflicts.

Yearns, and whoever passion clings to it floods him

غرام على يأس الهوى ورجائه

غرام على يأس الهوى ورجائه

وآه على سقم الهيام وطبه

وآه على سقم الهيام وطبه

Passion amid love’s despair and hope,

Passion despite the despair of passion and its hope

And a sigh over mad love’s sickness and its cure;

And an "Oh!" over the sickness of infatuation and its remedy

وتوق على ضوء الاماني وعتمها

وتوق على ضوء الاماني وعتمها

وشوق على بعد المزار وقربه

وشوق على بعد المزار وقربه

And yearning in the light of hopes and their darkness,

And yearning for the light of wishes and their darkness

And longing, whether the meeting-place is far or near.

And longing for the closeness of the beloved and his distance

وفي الركب مطوي الضلوع على جوى

وفي الركب مطوي الضلوع على جوى

ملوع على صلح الحبيب وحربه

ملوع على صلح الحبيب وحربه

And in the caravan, one whose ribs enfold burning grief,

And in the traveling group, writhing with pain

Tormented alike by the beloved’s peace and war.

Suffering over the reconciliation of the beloved or his dispute

تقلبه نيرانه وهو مغرم

تقلبه نيرانه وهو مغرم

متى يدعه داعي الغرام يلبه

متى يدعه داعي الغرام يلبه

His fires toss him about while he is love-struck;

His fires toss him while he is lovesick

Whenever passion’s caller summons him, he answers.

When will the caller of passion answer his call?

اذا نفحت من جانب الشرق نفحة

اذا نفحت من جانب الشرق نفحة

اثارت افانين الولوع بقلبه

اثارت افانين الولوع بقلبه

When a breath wafts from the eastern quarter,

If a breeze blew from the direction of the east

It stirs manifold forms of ardor in his heart,

It would stir the violins of passion in his heart

واهوت به نحو الهوى وبلطفها

واهوت به نحو الهوى وبلطفها

تضمن منها داؤه داون صحبه

تضمن منها داؤه داون صحبه

And casts him toward love; and through its gentleness,

And it would drop him into passion and with its kindness

From it, his ailment encompasses [unclear wording involving his companions].

Heal him of his sickness and company during his recovery

ومحتجب بين الاسنة معرض

ومحتجب بين الاسنة معرض

يطيب العليل المستهام بعتبه

يطيب العليل المستهام بعتبه

And one concealed amid spearheads, turning away,

And hidden among the women, turning away

Whose reproach soothes the ailing, love-distraught lover.

So that the lovesick patient will be pleased with his blame

ففي الروح من آلامه دون عتبه

ففي الروح من آلامه دون عتبه

وفي القلب من اعراضه مثل حجبه

وفي القلب من اعراضه مثل حجبه

For in the soul are pains from him, apart from his reproach,

For in the soul, from his pains without blame

And in the heart, from his aversion, something like his concealment.

And in the heart, from his avoidance like his veil

اغار اذا آنست في الحي أنة

اغار اذا آنست في الحي أنة

يرجعها حادي النياق بركبه

يرجعها حادي النياق بركبه

I grow jealous when I hear a moan in the camp,

I envy when she socializes, fearing

Echoed by the she-camels’ driver with his caravan;

Her guide will return her to her troop

واذ هل ان ابصرت دمعة عاشق

واذ هل ان ابصرت دمعة عاشق

حذارا وخوفا ان تكون لحبه

حذارا وخوفا ان تكون لحبه

And [perhaps: I am bewildered] if I see a lover’s tear,

And I fear if a lover's tear is seen

Wary and fearful that it might be for love of him.

Be cautious in case it is for his love