بَكُرَ الخَليطُ وَفي العيونِ مِنَ الجَوى

بَكُرَ الخَليطُ وَفي العيونِ مِنَ الجَوى

دُفَعُ النَّجيعِ وَبِالقُلوبِ شُواظُ

دُفَعُ النَّجيعِ وَبِالقُلوبِ شُواظُ

The company set out at dawn; in the eyes, from love's anguish,

The tents were struck at dawn, with languor in the eyes,

were gushes of dark blood, and in the hearts, a smokeless flame.

The camel-litters were made ready, and hearts were burning.

وَالرَّكْبُ مِنْ دَهَشِ النَّوَى في حَيْرَةٍ

وَالرَّكْبُ مِنْ دَهَشِ النَّوَى في حَيْرَةٍ

لا راقِدُونَ وَلا هُمُ أَيْقاظُ

لا راقِدُونَ وَلا هُمُ أَيْقاظُ

And the riders, stunned by separation, were bewildered,

The caravan was distraught with love of the halted places,

neither asleep nor awake.

Neither slumbering nor awake.

وَبَدَتْ لنا هَيْفاءُ مُخْطَفَةُ الحَشى

وَبَدَتْ لنا هَيْفاءُ مُخْطَفَةُ الحَشى

فَتَنَاهَبَتْ وَجَناتِها الأَلْحاظُ

فَتَنَاهَبَتْ وَجَناتِها الأَلْحاظُ

And a slender woman appeared to us, narrow of waist;

And there appeared to us a tribe of lovely maidens,

so glances vied to plunder her cheeks.

Who snatched away our hearts with a ravishing glance.

في نِسْوَةٍ رَقَّتْ خُدوداً أُشْرِبَتْ

في نِسْوَةٍ رَقَّتْ خُدوداً أُشْرِبَتْ

ماءَ الشبيبَةِ وَالقُلوبُ غِلاظُ

ماءَ الشبيبَةِ وَالقُلوبُ غِلاظُ

Among women whose tender cheeks were imbued

Their cheeks soft virgins, nurtured in beauty,

with the water of youth, though their hearts were hard.

Yet their hearts sturdy and bold.

فَكأَنّما أَلْفاظُها عَبَراتُها

فَكأَنّما أَلْفاظُها عَبَراتُها

وَكأنَّما عَبَراتُها الألْفاظُ

وَكأنَّما عَبَراتُها الألْفاظُ

So it was as though her words were her tears,

Their words were like their tears, their tears like their words,

and as though her tears were words.

Their words tears, their tears words.