يا رَبَّةَ البُرقُعِوالوجهُ أَغَرّْ

يا رَبَّةَ البُرقُعِوالوجهُ أَغَرّْ

يشرقُ بدراً في ظلامٍ مِن شَعَرْ

يشرقُ بدراً في ظلامٍ مِن شَعَرْ

O lady of the veil, whose face is radiant,

O maid of the veil and the radiant face

shining as a full moon amid the darkness of hair.

A full moon shines in the darkness of her hair

إِنّي أَرى رَبعَكِ بالجزعِ دَثَرْ

إِنّي أَرى رَبعَكِ بالجزعِ دَثَرْ

تُميتُهُ الرِّيحُ ويحمِيهِ المَطَرْ

تُميتُهُ الرِّيحُ ويحمِيهِ المَطَرْ

Indeed, I see your dwelling at the valley bend fallen to ruin;

I see your quarter in mourning, cloaked

the wind kills it, while the rain protects it

The wind kills it, and the rain protects it

بما يُرى أَخضر رَفَّاف الزَّهَرْ

بما يُرى أَخضر رَفَّاف الزَّهَرْ

وَرَوضُهُ رَيّانُ مَجّاجُ الغُدُرْ

وَرَوضُهُ رَيّانُ مَجّاجُ الغُدُرْ

with the green growth one sees, its blossoms fluttering.

With what is seen, green, leafy blossoms

And its meadow is well-watered, gushing with pools;

And its meadow, verdant, turbulent with perfidy

به ثرىً يقطر حينَ يُعتَصَرْ

به ثرىً يقطر حينَ يُعتَصَرْ

فأَهلُهُ الأَنجُمُ وَاللَيلُ سَحَرْ

فأَهلُهُ الأَنجُمُ وَاللَيلُ سَحَرْ

its moist earth drips when squeezed.

With earth that drips when pressed

So its people are stars, and the night is but the hour before dawn,

So its people are the stars and the bewitching night

وهو كابهامِ قطاةٍ أَو نَغَرْ

وهو كابهامِ قطاةٍ أَو نَغَرْ

وَكُلُّ لَيلٍ صالِحٍ فيهِ قِصَرْ

وَكُلُّ لَيلٍ صالِحٍ فيهِ قِصَرْ

as short as the toe of a sandgrouse or a finch;

It is like the thumbs of a kitten or a baby gazelle

and every pleasant night is brief.

And every good night in it there is a palace

حَلَّتْ به إِحدى بُنَيّاتِ مُضَرْ

حَلَّتْ به إِحدى بُنَيّاتِ مُضَرْ

كَأَنَّها إِذا رَنتْ على حَذَرْ

كَأَنَّها إِذا رَنتْ على حَذَرْ

One of Mudar’s young daughters settled there.

One of the girls of Mudar descended there

When she casts a wary glance, she is like

It is as if when she sings softly in caution

ريمٌ أَحسَّ نَبأَةً ثم نَظَرْ

ريمٌ أَحسَّ نَبأَةً ثم نَظَرْ

بكيتُ حين اِبتَسمَتْ على خَفَرْ

بكيتُ حين اِبتَسمَتْ على خَفَرْ

a white gazelle that hears a faint sound, then looks.

A loving man sensed news then looked

I wept when she smiled bashfully,

I cried when she smiled carefully

فكادَ أَن يَلتَقِطَ الحيُّ دُرَرْ

فكادَ أَن يَلتَقِطَ الحيُّ دُرَرْ

so the tribesfolk nearly gathered pearls.

Nearly the living would pick up pearls