يا أهل الربا يا اهل الربا

هل تجبروا بالقرب كسرى

O dwellers of the heights, O dwellers of the heights!

Will you mend my brokenness by drawing near?

أنا الذي قلبي صبا

في حبكم قد باح سرّي

I am the one whose heart yearns.

In my love for you, my secret has come to light.

أبكي إذا هبّ الصبا

أو ناح في الديجور قمري

I weep when the east wind blows,

or a turtledove laments in the deep darkness.

يا من فخر ريم الضبا

هل تغنموا بالوصل أجري

O you who outshine the white gazelle among gazelles,

will you grant me my reward through reunion?

هل تبلغن اليعملات سولي

بنيل محبوبي معا قبولي

Will the sturdy she-camels fulfill my wish

through my reaching my beloved and being accepted too,

وتسعد الأيام بالوصول

يا عاذلي قلبي أبا

and will the days grow happy through arrival?

O you who reproach me, my heart has refused

أن ينثني فاسمح بعذري

محبوب قلبي قد سبا

to turn away; so accept my excuse.

My heart's beloved has taken captive

عقلي فلا بالناس أدرى

مهما ذكرت المنحنا

my mind, so I am oblivious to other people.

Whenever I remember the bend

وأهله فاضت عيوني

ما حالهم من بعدنا

and its people, my eyes overflow with tears.

How do they fare after our departure?

أوليت شعري يذكروني

هم سولناهم قصدنا

Oh, if only I knew whether they remember me!

They are our desire; they are our aim,

ان واصلوني أو جفوني

رعيا لذياك الخبا

whether they draw near to me or shun me.

May that tent be protected,

ما بين ركنيها وحجر

اللَه من طول البعاد جاري

all that lies between its two corners and the Hijr.

God is my refuge from prolonged separation.

وليس هذا البعد باختياري

فقد فنى جلدي مع اصطباري

And this distance is not of my choosing.

For my fortitude has failed, along with my patience.

يا ساكني وادي قبا

أسألكم تيسير أمري

O dwellers of the valley of Quba,

I ask you to ease my plight.

لِلّه قولوا مرحبا

وابدلوا عسرى بيسرى

For God's sake, say, 'Welcome!'

And replace my hardship with ease.

لربعكم والا فلا

مشدّ القلاص اليعملات

For your dwelling—otherwise, no

saddling of the sturdy young she-camels,

ولا طوت بيد الفلا

يسوقها صوت الحدات

nor would they have crossed the desert wastes,

with the camel-drivers' song urging them on.

عنكم فلا قلبي سلا

ولم أذق لذّة حياتي

My heart has not forgotten you,

and I have tasted no pleasure in my life.

متى متى أنظر يثربا

يا حسرتي قد طال صبري

When, when shall I behold Yathrib?

Alas! My patient waiting has been long.

القبة الخضرا متى أراها

وأمرّغ الخدّين في ثراها

The Green Dome—when shall I see it

and rub both cheeks in its soil?

زوّارها قد عمهم قراها

وأنا بعيد قد كبا

Its hospitality has embraced all its visitors,

while I am far away; bowed down

ظهري بآثام ووزر

وقد مضى أيام الصبا

is my back beneath sins and a load of guilt.

And the days of youth have passed,

وانها زهرات عمري

and they are the blossoms of my life.