أَقوَت تَعِرَّةُ فَالإِصغاءُ فَالخالُ

أَقوَت تَعِرَّةُ فَالإِصغاءُ فَالخالُ

مِن آلِ أَسماءَ إِلّا النُؤىُ وَالآلُ

مِن آلِ أَسماءَ إِلّا النُؤىُ وَالآلُ

Taʿirrah, then al-Iṣghāʾ, then al-Khāl lie deserted,

The dwelling became desolate, so I listened,

Of Asmāʾ's people, save the tent-ditch and the mirage,

Of the houses of Asma nothing left but traces and ruins.

وَغَيرُ هابٍ عَفاهُ القَطرُ مُلتَبِدٌ

وَغَيرُ هابٍ عَفاهُ القَطرُ مُلتَبِدٌ

لَهُ أَثافٍ صَلِينَ النارَ أَمثالُ

لَهُ أَثافٍ صَلِينَ النارَ أَمثالُ

And unscattered ash, effaced by rain and caked together,

And rain washed away all tracks of the encampment,

With matching hearthstones that have endured the fire.

Leaving only tent pegs like fiery stakes.

وَقَفتُ أَسألُها عَمَّن عَهِدتُ بِها

وَقَفتُ أَسألُها عَمَّن عَهِدتُ بِها

وَالناسُ قَبلي رِباعَ الناسِ قَد سالُوا

وَالناسُ قَبلي رِباعَ الناسِ قَد سالُوا

I stood asking it about those I had known there;

I stood there asking her about those I once knew,

And people before me have questioned people's dwellings.

While generations of men before me had asked the same.

أَبكى وَيَعذِلُني صَحبي وَيَغلِبُهُم

أَبكى وَيَعذِلُني صَحبي وَيَغلِبُهُم

قَلبٌ لَجُوجٌ وَدَمعٌ فاضَ سَيّالُ

قَلبٌ لَجُوجٌ وَدَمعٌ فاضَ سَيّالُ

I weep; my companions reproach me, but they are overcome

I weep and my companions rebuke me, but still

By a stubborn heart and tears that overflow in streams.

A stubborn heart prevails, and tears flow freely.

فَقُلتُ إِذ أَكثَرُوا الومى عدمتُهُمُ

فَقُلتُ إِذ أَكثَرُوا الومى عدمتُهُمُ

إِنّي لِما كَرِهُوا مِن ذاكَ قَوّالُ

إِنّي لِما كَرِهُوا مِن ذاكَ قَوّالُ

So I said, when they heaped reproach on me—may I be rid of them!—

I said, since they blame me, I will withdraw from them,

Indeed, I will keep saying what they dislike about that.

For I speak truly of what they dislike.

ما كُنتُ أَوَّلَ مَن هاجَت لَهُ حَزَناً

ما كُنتُ أَوَّلَ مَن هاجَت لَهُ حَزَناً

حَتّى بَكى جَزَعاً رَسمٌ وَأَطلالُ

حَتّى بَكى جَزَعاً رَسمٌ وَأَطلالُ

I was not the first in whom grief was stirred

I was not the first seized by sorrow,

To anguished weeping by a dwelling's trace and ruins.

To weep in anguish over traces and ruins.

لامُوا وَقالُوا وَما بالَيتُ ما فَعَلُوا

لامُوا وَقالُوا وَما بالَيتُ ما فَعَلُوا

قَد لامَني في هَوى أَسماءَ عُذّالُ

قَد لامَني في هَوى أَسماءَ عُذّالُ

They blamed and spoke, but I cared nothing for what they did.

They blamed and spoke out, but I did as they did,

Reproachers have blamed me for my love of Asmāʾ.

For they blamed my love for Asma, those blamers!

لَو إِنَّهُم وَجَدُوا مِثلَ الَّذي وَجَدَت

لَو إِنَّهُم وَجَدُوا مِثلَ الَّذي وَجَدَت

نَفسي بِأَسماءَ فيما سَرَّني مالُوا

نَفسي بِأَسماءَ فيما سَرَّني مالُوا

If they had felt the like of what was felt

Had they felt what I felt for Asma,

By my soul for Asmāʾ, they would have favored what delighted me.

They too would have been distracted by love.

لَكِنَّهُم عُزُفٌ ما إِن يَلِيقُ بِهِم

لَكِنَّهُم عُزُفٌ ما إِن يَلِيقُ بِهِم

وَصلٌ وَفي الناسِ قُطّاعٌ وَوُصّالُ

وَصلٌ وَفي الناسِ قُطّاعٌ وَوُصّالُ

But they shun love; unfitting for them is

But they are rabble unable to understand,

Union; among people some sever ties and some sustain them.

While amongst people are thieves and bandits.

كَأَنَّها ظَبيَةٌ حَوراءُ يَتبَعُها

كَأَنَّها ظَبيَةٌ حَوراءُ يَتبَعُها

رَخص الظلوف غَضيض الطَرف مِكسال

رَخص الظلوف غَضيض الطَرف مِكسال

She is like a dark-eyed gazelle, followed by

She is like a shy gazelle, alluring,

A tender-hoofed fawn, downcast-eyed and languid.

Of soft glance and languid eyes.

إِذا اِنثَنى لِمَقيلٍ خَلفَها نَكَصَت

إِذا اِنثَنى لِمَقيلٍ خَلفَها نَكَصَت

حَتّى يَقومَ إِلَيها ذاكَ ما زالُوا

حَتّى يَقومَ إِلَيها ذاكَ ما زالُوا

When he turns aside for a midday rest behind her, she turns back,

When she turns to rest behind her are men

Until he rises toward her; so they have remained.

Who will not leave her side.

خُمصانَةٌ جائِلٌ رَودٌ مُوَشَّحُها

خُمصانَةٌ جائِلٌ رَودٌ مُوَشَّحُها

وَلا يَجُولُ لَها في الساقِ خِلخالُ

وَلا يَجُولُ لَها في الساقِ خِلخالُ

Slender-waisted, her sash sways freely and gently,

Smooth of cheek, dark-lipped, perfumed,

And her anklet does not move freely upon her calf.

Her ankles without sound of bangles.