قضت وطرا من أرض نجدٍ وأمت

قضت وطرا من أرض نجدٍ وأمت

عقيق الحمى مرخى لها في الأزمة

عقيق الحمى مرخى لها في الأزمة

They had their fill of the land of Najd and made for

She crossed a land of Najd and resided,

ʿAqīq al-Ḥimā, with their reins slackened.

At Uqayq the protected, when crisis collided,

وخبرها الرواد أن بحاجر

وخبرها الرواد أن بحاجر

حيا نورت منه الرياض فحنت

حيا نورت منه الرياض فحنت

And the scouts told them that at Ḥājir

Messengers told that at Buhajir,

rain had made the meadows blossom, so they yearned.

A living light which lit up Riyadh and so it bent,

ولاح لها برق من الغور موهناً

ولاح لها برق من الغور موهناً

كشعلة نارٍ للطوارق شبت

كشعلة نارٍ للطوارق شبت

And lightning flashed before them from the Ghawr lowlands, late at night,

Flashes of lightning from the cave appeared to it weakened,

like a flame of fire kindled for night visitors.

Like the flames of fires that lit for nomads,

فمدت له الأعناق عند وميضه

فمدت له الأعناق عند وميضه

تراقص في أرسانها واستمرت

تراقص في أرسانها واستمرت

So they stretched their necks toward it at its flash,

So necks were extended when it flashed,

prancing in their halters, and pressed on.

Dancing on their shelters continuously,

وغنى لها الحادي فأذكرها الغضا

وغنى لها الحادي فأذكرها الغضا

وأيامها فيه وأيام وجرة

وأيامها فيه وأيام وجرة

And the camel-driver sang to them, reminding them of the ghaḍā groves

The guide sang, reminding it of past meadows,

and their days there, and the days at Wajra.

And its days therein and days of departure,

وقد شركتني في الحنين ركائبي

وقد شركتني في الحنين ركائبي

فردت عليها رنة بعد رنة

فردت عليها رنة بعد رنة

And my riding camels had shared my yearning,

My traveling companions included me in yearning,

so cry after cry answered them.

So I returned tune after tune,

أقول لركبٍ مخمسين تطوحوا

أقول لركبٍ مخمسين تطوحوا

وعز بهم ماء رد وا ماء عبرتي

وعز بهم ماء رد وا ماء عبرتي

I say to riders, due for fifth-day watering, who have strayed far,

I say to a caravan of fifty who sped,

and for whom water is scarce: “Come drink the water of my tears.”

And glory in them the water of Ruda and the water of my crossing,

ألا ليت شعري هل تعود رواجعاً

ألا ليت شعري هل تعود رواجعاً

ليالي الصبا من بعد ما قد تولت

ليالي الصبا من بعد ما قد تولت

Ah, would that I knew—will they return once more,

Oh how I wish I knew, would they return,

the nights of youth, after they have passed away?

Nights of youth after they had gone.