تَراءَت لِمَطوِىِّ الضُّلوعِ عَلى الهَوى

تَراءَت لِمَطوِىِّ الضُّلوعِ عَلى الهَوى

لَدى السَرحَةِ المِحلالِ أُختُ بَني كَعبِ

لَدى السَرحَةِ المِحلالِ أُختُ بَني كَعبِ

She appeared to one whose ribs enfold passion,

The ruins called to the chest pained with passion

beside the much-frequented tree—a sister of Banū Kaʿb.

At the pure gathering, sister of Bani Kaab

فَقَد نَكأَتْ قَرحاً رَجَوتُ اندِمالَهُ

فَقَد نَكأَتْ قَرحاً رَجَوتُ اندِمالَهُ

بِقَرحٍ فَزِيدَ القَلبُ كَرباً عَلى كَربِ

بِقَرحٍ فَزِيدَ القَلبُ كَرباً عَلى كَربِ

For she reopened a wound I had hoped would heal

It opened a wound whose closure I hoped for

with another wound, so the heart's anguish grew, anguish upon anguish.

With a wound that increased the heart's sorrows upon sorrows

وَأَبكى هُذَيماً أَرقأَ اللَهُ دَمعَهُ

وَأَبكى هُذَيماً أَرقأَ اللَهُ دَمعَهُ

أَنينيَ حَتىّ أَيقَظَتْ أَنَّتي صَحبي

أَنينيَ حَتىّ أَيقَظَتْ أَنَّتي صَحبي

And Hudhaym was moved to tears—may God dry his tears—

It made Hudhaymah weep, God made his tears flow

by my moaning, until my groan awakened my companions,

Moaning until my companion woke me

وَقَبضيِ بِكِلْتا راحَتَيَّ عَلى الحَشَى

وَقَبضيِ بِكِلْتا راحَتَيَّ عَلى الحَشَى

وَرَمي بإِحدى مُقلَتَيَّ إِلى الرَّكبِ

وَرَمي بإِحدى مُقلَتَيَّ إِلى الرَّكبِ

and by my pressing both palms upon my breast,

I held my palms over my breast

and by my casting one eye toward the riders.

And threw one of my eyelids towards the riding camels

وَلَم يَكُ لي غَيرَ العُلَيميِّ مُسعِدٌ

وَلَم يَكُ لي غَيرَ العُلَيميِّ مُسعِدٌ

أَلا لا رأى ما يُضرِعُ الخَدَّ مِن خَطبِ

أَلا لا رأى ما يُضرِعُ الخَدَّ مِن خَطبِ

And none but al-ʿUlaymī shared my grief;

None consoled me but my she-camel, my mount

ah, may he never see a calamity that humbles the cheek.

Oh! Who can see what humbles the cheek out of distress?

فَدونَكِ يا ظَمياءُ مِنّي جَوانِحاً

فَدونَكِ يا ظَمياءُ مِنّي جَوانِحاً

سَيَحمِلُها وَجدي عَلى مَركَبٍ صَعبِ

سَيَحمِلُها وَجدي عَلى مَركَبٍ صَعبِ

So take from me, O Ẓamyāʾ, these ribs,

So receive from me, O Ghumayya, my fluttering soul

which my longing will bear upon an unruly mount.

My passion will carry it on the difficult ship

جَرَت عَبرَتي وَالقَلبُ غَصَّ بِهَمِّهِ

جَرَت عَبرَتي وَالقَلبُ غَصَّ بِهَمِّهِ

فَعِقدُكِ مِن دَمعي وَقُلبُكِ مِن قَلبي

فَعِقدُكِ مِن دَمعي وَقُلبُكِ مِن قَلبي

My tears flowed, while my heart choked on its sorrow;

My tears flowed and my heart crammed with worries

so your necklace is of my tears, and your bracelet of my heart.

Your necklace is from my tears and your heart from my heart

لِيَهنِكِ أَنّي لا أَزالُ عَلى أَسى

لِيَهنِكِ أَنّي لا أَزالُ عَلى أَسى

وَأَنّيَ لا أَلقاكِ إِلّا عَلى عَتبِ

وَأَنّيَ لا أَلقاكِ إِلّا عَلى عَتبِ

May it please you that I never cease to grieve,

To delight you that I still suffer sorrow

and that I meet you only with reproach.

And that I only find you after crossing tribulations

أَحِنُّ إِلى مَيثاءَ حاليَةَ الثَّرَى

أَحِنُّ إِلى مَيثاءَ حاليَةَ الثَّرَى

وَأَصبو إِلى وَعساءَ طَيِّبَةِ التُّربِ

وَأَصبو إِلى وَعساءَ طَيِّبَةِ التُّربِ

I yearn for smooth ground whose moist soil is sweet,

I yearn for Maytha, and the place of dust

and long for soft sandy ground with pleasant earth.

And I look towards Wa'asa, the land of good soil

وَأَصحَبُ مِن جَرّاكِ مَن سَكَنِ الفَلا

وَأَصحَبُ مِن جَرّاكِ مَن سَكَنِ الفَلا

وَأَشرَقُ مِن ذِكراكِ بالباردِ العَذبِ

وَأَشرَقُ مِن ذِكراكِ بالباردِ العَذبِ

And because of you I keep company with those who dwell in the wilderness,

I befriend those who inhabited the empty wilderness

and at the thought of you I choke on cool, sweet water.

And gleam from your memory in the coolness of spring