تَأَمَّلتُ رَبعَ الماليكَّةِ بِالحِمى

تَأَمَّلتُ رَبعَ الماليكَّةِ بِالحِمى

فَأَذرَيتُ دَمعي وَالرَّكائِبُ وُقَّفُ

فَأَذرَيتُ دَمعي وَالرَّكائِبُ وُقَّفُ

I contemplated al-Mālīkkah’s dwelling in the protected pasture.

I contemplated the ruins of the campsite with yearning

Then I shed my tears while the riding camels stood still.

I shed my tears while the riding camels stood still

وَأَضحى هُذَيمٌ مُسعِداً لي عَلى البُكا

وَأَضحى هُذَيمٌ مُسعِداً لي عَلى البُكا

وَأَمسى أَبو المِغوارِ سَعدٌ يُعَنِّفُ

وَأَمسى أَبو المِغوارِ سَعدٌ يُعَنِّفُ

And by morning Hudhaym was joining me in weeping,

And Hudhaym offered me consolation for my weeping

and by evening Abū al-Mighwār, Saʿd, was reproaching me.

While Abu Mihjan reproached me sternly

وَما بَرِحَتْ عَيني تَفيضُ شُؤونُها

وَما بَرِحَتْ عَيني تَفيضُ شُؤونُها

وَيرزِمُ نِضوي وَالحَمائِمُ تَهتِفُ

وَيرزِمُ نِضوي وَالحَمائِمُ تَهتِفُ

And my eye’s tear ducts never cease to overflow,

My eyes did not cease pouring out their sorrows

and my worn-out camel moans while the doves cry out.

And my companions tried to restrain my cries

فَيا وَيحَ نَفسي لا أَرى الدَّهرَ مَنزِلاً

فَيا وَيحَ نَفسي لا أَرى الدَّهرَ مَنزِلاً

لِعَلوَةَ إِلّا ظَلَّتِ العَينُ تَذرِفُ

لِعَلوَةَ إِلّا ظَلَّتِ العَينُ تَذرِفُ

So alas for my soul! Never do I see a dwelling

Oh, woe is me! I see no rest in this life

of ʿAlwah without my eye continuing to shed tears.

Except where my eyes overflow with tears

وَلَو دامَ هَذا الوَجدُ لَم تَبقَ عَبرَةٌ

وَلَو دامَ هَذا الوَجدُ لَم تَبقَ عَبرَةٌ

وَلَو أَنَّني مِن لُجَّةِ البَحرِ أَغرِفُ

وَلَو أَنَّني مِن لُجَّةِ البَحرِ أَغرِفُ

And if this longing endured, not a tear would remain,

If this anguish were to persist, no tears would remain

even if I scooped from the depths of the sea.

As if I were drawing water from the depths of the sea