عَفَتِ المَنازِلُ غَير مِثلِ الأَنقُسِ

عَفَتِ المَنازِلُ غَير مِثلِ الأَنقُسِ

بَعدَ الزَّمانِ عَرَفتُهُ بِالقَرطَسِ

بَعدَ الزَّمانِ عَرَفتُهُ بِالقَرطَسِ

The dwellings have faded, save for marks like ink,

The dwellings have lost their virtue, unlike the ostrich eggs,

Which I recognized on parchment after time had passed.

After time I recognized it with parchment paper,

فَضَلَلتُ عَن عَفرِ الدِّيارِ كَأَنَّما

فَضَلَلتُ عَن عَفرِ الدِّيارِ كَأَنَّما

مِن خَمرِ أَذْرَعَةٍ سقيتُ بِأَكؤُسِ

مِن خَمرِ أَذْرَعَةٍ سقيتُ بِأَكؤُسِ

So I strayed from the dust of the dwellings, as though

So I lost the track of the ruins, as if

I had been served cups of wine from Adhraʿah.

I was made drink from the wine of Adhru’a in cups,

طَرَقَ الخَيالَ فَهاجَ لي مِنْ مَضْجَعي

طَرَقَ الخَيالَ فَهاجَ لي مِنْ مَضْجَعي

رَجعَ التَّحِيَّةِ في الظَّلامِ المُهَلسِ

رَجعَ التَّحِيَّةِ في الظَّلامِ المُهَلسِ

The phantom came by night and stirred me from my bed

The imagination knocked, so it stirred me from my bedding,

With the echo of a greeting in the murky darkness.

The greeting returned in the gloomy darkness,

أَعلاقَة أُمّ الوُلَيِّدِ بَعدَما

أَعلاقَة أُمّ الوُلَيِّدِ بَعدَما

أَفنانُ رَأسِكِ كَالثَّغامِ المخلسِ

أَفنانُ رَأسِكِ كَالثَّغامِ المخلسِ

Are you still in love with Umm al-Wulayyid, now that

The chin strap of Umm Al-Waleed after

The boughs upon your head resemble thagham grass, flecked with white?

The braids of your head are like the sly darkness,

يَوم اِرتَمَتْ قَلبي بِأَسهُمِ لَحظِها

يَوم اِرتَمَتْ قَلبي بِأَسهُمِ لَحظِها

أُمَّ الوُلَيِّدِ في نِساءٍ غُلسِ

أُمَّ الوُلَيِّدِ في نِساءٍ غُلسِ

The day she shot my heart with the arrows of her glance—

The day my heart was hit with the arrows of her glance,

Umm al-Wulayyid, among dusky women—

Umm Al-Waleed among women is crafty,

مِنْ بَعدِ ما لَبِسَتْ مَلِيّاً حُسنَها

مِنْ بَعدِ ما لَبِسَتْ مَلِيّاً حُسنَها

وَكَأَنَّ ثَوبَ جَمالِها لَم يُلبَسِ

وَكَأَنَّ ثَوبَ جَمالِها لَم يُلبَسِ

After she had long worn her beauty,

After she wore the dress of her beauty,

And the robe of her loveliness seemed never to have been worn.

And as if the garment of her beauty was not worn,

بَيضاءُ مطعمة الملاحة مِثلُها

بَيضاءُ مطعمة الملاحة مِثلُها

لَهوَ الجَليسِ وَغِرَّةُ المُتَفَرسِ

لَهوَ الجَليسِ وَغِرَّةُ المُتَفَرسِ

Fair, endowed with grace—one like her

White, seasoned with saltiness like her,

Is a companion's delight and a deception to the discerning.

Is the amusement of the companion and the squint of the watcher,

وأَما لِهَنكَ مِنْ تَذَكُّرِ أَهلِها

وأَما لِهَنكَ مِنْ تَذَكُّرِ أَهلِها

لَعَلى شَفا يَأسٍ وَإِن لَمْ تَيأَسِ

لَعَلى شَفا يَأسٍ وَإِن لَمْ تَيأَسِ

And surely, through remembering her people, you

As for remembering her family in Hunak,

Stand on the brink of despair, even if you have not despaired.

Maybe on the verge of despair, even if you do not despair,

سلّ الهُمومَ إِذا اِعتَرَتْكَ بدوسَرٍ

سلّ الهُمومَ إِذا اِعتَرَتْكَ بدوسَرٍ

لهب الهَواجِرِ واسِعِ المُتَنَفّسِ

لهب الهَواجِرِ واسِعِ المُتَنَفّسِ

Dispel your cares, when they beset you, with a mighty camel,

Unload the worries when the Dusur afflicts you,

A blaze in the midday heat, with ample breath.

The flames of Al-Hawajir, vast breathe,

فَرَفَعت رَأسي لِلرَّحيلِ وَلا أَرى

فَرَفَعت رَأسي لِلرَّحيلِ وَلا أَرى

كَاليَوم مُصبح مَورِد مُتَغَلِّسِ

كَاليَوم مُصبح مَورِد مُتَغَلِّسِ

So I raised my head to depart, and I see no

So I raised my head to depart, and I do not see

Morning like today's at the watering place of one traveling before dawn.

Like today, the watering place of the slippery arrival.