مَرَرتُ عَلى ذاتِ الأَبارِقِ مَوهِناً

مَرَرتُ عَلى ذاتِ الأَبارِقِ مَوهِناً

فَعارَضَني بيضُ التَّرائِبِ غيدُ

فَعارَضَني بيضُ التَّرائِبِ غيدُ

I passed by Dhat al-Abariq late at night;

I passed by the one with flashing lightnings humbled,

then fair-bosomed, graceful women met me.

As the whiteness of the carpets opposed me.

وَقَد أَشرَقَتْ مَصقولَةً بيَدِ الصِّبا

وَقَد أَشرَقَتْ مَصقولَةً بيَدِ الصِّبا

وُجوهٌ عَلَيها نَضرَةٌ وَخُدودُ

وُجوهٌ عَلَيها نَضرَةٌ وَخُدودُ

And there shone, polished by the hand of youth,

Faces shone polished by the hand of the morning breeze,

faces radiant with freshness, and cheeks.

With freshness upon them and cheeks reddened.

وَأَلقَتْ قِناعَ الفَجرِ قَبلَ أَوانِهِ

وَأَلقَتْ قِناعَ الفَجرِ قَبلَ أَوانِهِ

فَهبَّ حَمامُ الأَيكِ وَهيَ هُجودُ

فَهبَّ حَمامُ الأَيكِ وَهيَ هُجودُ

And they cast off dawn's veil before its appointed time,

She cast off the veil of dawn before its time,

so the sleeping doves of the grove awoke.

So the doves of the thorn-trees fluttered and cooed.

وَأَبصَرتُ أَدنى صاحِبيَّ يَهُزُّهُ

وَأَبصَرتُ أَدنى صاحِبيَّ يَهُزُّهُ

عَلى طَرَبٍ مِيلُ السَّوالِفِ قُودُ

عَلى طَرَبٍ مِيلُ السَّوالِفِ قُودُ

And I saw the nearer of my two companions stirred

I saw my companion swaying,

to rapture by long-necked women with tilted necks.

Led by the bent of conversation and its cord.

فَمالَ وَأَبكاهُ الغَرامُ كَأَنَّهُ

فَمالَ وَأَبكاهُ الغَرامُ كَأَنَّهُ

عَلى الكورِ غُصنٌ ريحَ وَهوَ مَجودُ

عَلى الكورِ غُصنٌ ريحَ وَهوَ مَجودُ

So he swayed, and passion made him weep, as though he

Love made him lean and weep as if

were a windblown, rain-drenched branch upon the camel-saddle.

He were a bending branch in the wind.

فَقالَ تَرى يا بْنَ الأَكارِمِ ما أَرى

فَقالَ تَرى يا بْنَ الأَكارِمِ ما أَرى

أَلاحَ ثُغورٌ أَم أَضاءَ عُقودُ

أَلاحَ ثُغورٌ أَم أَضاءَ عُقودُ

Then he said: Do you see, O son of noble men, what I see?

He said, "Do you see, O son of nobles, what I see?

Did mouths flash, or did necklaces shine?

Have watchfires blazed or necklaces shone?"

فَقُلتُ لَهُ نَهنِهْ دُموعَكَ إِنَّها

فَقُلتُ لَهُ نَهنِهْ دُموعَكَ إِنَّها

ظِباءٌ حَمى أَسْرابَهُنَّ أُسودُ

ظِباءٌ حَمى أَسْرابَهُنَّ أُسودُ

So I said to him: Restrain your tears; they are

I said to him, "Hush your tears which are

gazelles whose herds are guarded by lions.

Wild cows whose herdsman is black."

هَبِ القُرَشِيَّ اِعتادَهُ لاعِجُ الهَوى

هَبِ القُرَشِيَّ اِعتادَهُ لاعِجُ الهَوى

وَمادَ فَما لِلعامِريِّ يَمييدُ

وَمادَ فَما لِلعامِريِّ يَمييدُ

Grant that love's burning anguish repeatedly assailed the Qurashi

Rise, O Qurashi, prepare your camels, passion is not stilled

and he swayed—why, then, does the Amiri sway?

And the mouth of el 'Amiri shall not cease its praise.

رَنا نَحوَها طَرْفي وَقَلبي كِلاهُما

رَنا نَحوَها طَرْفي وَقَلبي كِلاهُما

فَلَم أَدرِ أَيَّ النَّاظِرَينِ أَذودُ

فَلَم أَدرِ أَيَّ النَّاظِرَينِ أَذودُ

My eye and my heart both gazed toward them,

I turned my eyes and heart towards her, both

and I knew not which of the two gazers to restrain.

And I knew not which of the two gazed more intensely,

لَئِن نَشَبَت مِن سِربِها في حِبالَتي

لَئِن نَشَبَت مِن سِربِها في حِبالَتي

مَليحَةُ ما وارى البَراقَعُ رودُ

مَليحَةُ ما وارى البَراقَعُ رودُ

If indeed one from their herd is caught in my snare—

If one of her arrows lodges in my ribs

a tender maiden, lovely in what the veils conceal—

What the curtains conceal will not be concealed,

فَإِنّي وَحُبِّيها أَليَّةَ عاشِقٍ

فَإِنّي وَحُبِّيها أَليَّةَ عاشِقٍ

يَبَرُّ التُّقى أَيمانَهُ لَصَيودُ

يَبَرُّ التُّقى أَيمانَهُ لَصَيودُ

then, by my love for her, I swear the oath of a lover

For I and my love for her, a passionate lover,

whose oaths piety makes good: I am surely a skilled hunter.

Are evidence enough, though I swear no oaths.