حلَّ الشقيقُ من العقيقِ ظعائِنٌ

حلَّ الشقيقُ من العقيقِ ظعائِنٌ

فنزلنَ رامَةَ واحتَلَلنَ نَواها

فنزلنَ رامَةَ واحتَلَلنَ نَواها

Women in litters alighted at al-Shaqiq, coming from al-Aqiq.

The anemones shed their petals,

Then they settled at Rama and took up residence in its environs.

And descended upon Rawmah, adorning her dwellings.

ولقد شفى نَفسي وأبرأَ سُقمَها

ولقد شفى نَفسي وأبرأَ سُقمَها

دارُ ابنةِ الغَنَوِيِّ حَيثُ أَراها

دارُ ابنةِ الغَنَوِيِّ حَيثُ أَراها

And indeed, it healed my soul and cured its sickness—

My soul found healing and was cured of her sickness,

The home of al-Ghanawi’s daughter, there where I behold it.

In the abode of the daughter of Ghanawi, wherever I saw her.

ولقد نَزَلتُ بها فما أحمَدتُها

ولقد نَزَلتُ بها فما أحمَدتُها

عِندَ المبيتِ وما ذَمَمتُ قِراها

عِندَ المبيتِ وما ذَمَمتُ قِراها

And indeed, I lodged there, but did not find it pleasing

And when I stayed with her I found no fault,

At bedtime, though I did not fault its hospitality.

Neither at the night's lodging nor her villages' vicinity.

فَرَحَلتُ يعملةَ النجاءِ شملةٍ

فَرَحَلتُ يعملةَ النجاءِ شملةٍ

تُرضِي الزميلَ اذا الزمامُ قِراها

تُرضِي الزميلَ اذا الزمامُ قِراها

So I saddled a sturdy, swift-going, nimble she-camel.

So I travelled, leading my camel unburdened,

She pleases the fellow rider when the rein is her fare.

That pleases the friend when the reins are slackened.

تلوي باسحَم واردٍ حين اغتدت

تلوي باسحَم واردٍ حين اغتدت

تنفي الذبابَ اذا الذبابُ عراها

تنفي الذبابَ اذا الذبابُ عراها

She swishes a black, trailing tail as she sets out at dawn,

She gallops freely to fresh, abundant waters,

Driving away the flies whenever they beset her.

Shaking off the flies when they pester her.

شِبهُ الأتانِ توحَّشَت في قفرةٍ

شِبهُ الأتانِ توحَّشَت في قفرةٍ

يَهماءَ فاختلسَ السِّباعُ طَلاها

يَهماءَ فاختلسَ السِّباعُ طَلاها

Like a she-ass that grew solitary in a barren waste,

The wild she-donkeys shunned the barren wasteland,

Trackless, where beasts of prey snatched away her foal.

Where the predators seized their young.

ليس المريبُ بمن أتى سلطانَهُ

ليس المريبُ بمن أتى سلطانَهُ

طوعاً وطالبَ حاجةً فَقَضاها

طوعاً وطالبَ حاجةً فَقَضاها

The suspect is not one who comes before his ruler

Not the doubtful man who came voluntarily

Willingly, asks a favor, and has it fulfilled.

To the sultan, seeking and getting his request.

أرجو الخليفَةَ اذ رَحَلتُ ميمِّماً

أرجو الخليفَةَ اذ رَحَلتُ ميمِّماً

والنفسُ تُدرِك في الرحيلِ مُناها

والنفسُ تُدرِك في الرحيلِ مُناها

I place my hope in the caliph as I set out toward him,

I hope for the Caliph as I set out straightaway,

And through travel the soul attains its desires.

While my soul finds its purpose in the journey.

وإذا علقتُ من الوليدِ بذمةٍ

وإذا علقتُ من الوليدِ بذمةٍ

سكنت إليّ جوانحي وحَشاها

سكنت إليّ جوانحي وحَشاها

And when I hold fast to a pledge of protection from al-Walid,

And when I seek the protection of Al-Walid,

My ribs and all they enclose grow calm within me.

My anxieties are calmed and their clamor stilled.

أنتَ الإمامُ ابنُ الإمامِ لأُمَّةٍ

أنتَ الإمامُ ابنُ الإمامِ لأُمَّةٍ

أضحى ببكفِّكَ فَقرُها وغِناها

أضحى ببكفِّكَ فَقرُها وغِناها

You are the imam, son of the imam, for a community

You are the Imam, son of the Imam, of a nation

Whose poverty and wealth now lie in your palm.

Whose poverty and riches are in your hands.