دَعَتني بِذي الرِّمثِ الصَبابَةُ مَوهِناً

دَعَتني بِذي الرِّمثِ الصَبابَةُ مَوهِناً

فَلَبَّيتُها وَالدَّمعُ يَستَنُّ وابِلُهْ

فَلَبَّيتُها وَالدَّمعُ يَستَنُّ وابِلُهْ

Passionate longing called me at Dhu al-Rimth late at night,

The dewy morn bid me be pliant when languid,

So I answered her, while tears streamed in torrents.

And I obeyed its call while tears began to pour.

وَلي صاحِبٌ مِن عَبدِ شَمسٍ أَبُثُّهُ

وَلي صاحِبٌ مِن عَبدِ شَمسٍ أَبُثُّهُ

شُجوني حَليفُ المَجدِ حُلوٌ شَمائِلُهْ

شُجوني حَليفُ المَجدِ حُلوٌ شَمائِلُهْ

And I have a friend from the clan of ‘Abd Shams, to whom I confide

I have a friend from Abd Shams to whom I bare

My sorrows—an ally of glory, sweet in his ways.

My sorrows; he is the comrade of glory bright.

فَلامَ عَلى حُبٍّ يَلُفُّ جَوانِحي

فَلامَ عَلى حُبٍّ يَلُفُّ جَوانِحي

عَلى كَمَدٍ وَالشَّوقُ تَغلي مَراجِلُهْ

عَلى كَمَدٍ وَالشَّوقُ تَغلي مَراجِلُهْ

So he reproached me for a love that folds my ribs

So peace to the love that folds my wings around,

Around grief, while longing’s cauldrons boil.

And over passion's fire that seethes within my heart!

فَوَيلٌ عَلى صَبٍّ يُؤَرِّقُ طَرْفَهُ

فَوَيلٌ عَلى صَبٍّ يُؤَرِّقُ طَرْفَهُ

سُهادٌ يُناغيهِ وَدَمعٌ يُغازِلُهْ

سُهادٌ يُناغيهِ وَدَمعٌ يُغازِلُهْ

Woe, then, to a lovesick man whose eye is kept awake

And woe to him whose eyelid is robbed of sleep

By sleeplessness that coos to him and tears that flirt with him.

By love songs sung to him and tears that fondle him!

وَيُسلِمُهُ مَن كانَ يُصفي لَهُ الهَوى

وَيُسلِمُهُ مَن كانَ يُصفي لَهُ الهَوى

مِنَ الحَيِّ حَتَّى أَنتَ يا سَعدُ عاذِلُهْ

مِنَ الحَيِّ حَتَّى أَنتَ يا سَعدُ عاذِلُهْ

And he is forsaken by those who once gave him sincere love

And resignation to the one for whom love

Among the clan—even you, O Sa‘d, reproach him.

From me, O Sa'd, and all the living, is most pure!