أَمِن آلِ سَلمى الطارِقُ المُتأَوِّبُ

أَمِن آلِ سَلمى الطارِقُ المُتأَوِّبُ

إِليَّ وَبيشٌ دونَ سَلمى وَكَبكَبُ

إِليَّ وَبيشٌ دونَ سَلمى وَكَبكَبُ

Is the returning night-visitor from Salma's household,

Is it one of the family of Salma, the night visitor continuously turning about,

coming to me, though Bish and Kabkab lie between me and Salma?

That has come to me, while between me and Salma lie a howdah and mosquito net?

فَكِدتُ اشتياقاً إِذ أَلَمَّ خَيالُها

فَكِدتُ اشتياقاً إِذ أَلَمَّ خَيالُها

أَبوحُ وَيَبدو مِن هَوايَ المُغَيَّبُ

أَبوحُ وَيَبدو مِن هَوايَ المُغَيَّبُ

So, from longing, when her phantom visited, I nearly

I all but died of yearning when her phantom came to me;

spoke openly and revealed my hidden love.

I rave and my secret love appears.

وَيَوماً بِذي بيشٍ ظَللت تَشَوُّقاً

وَيَوماً بِذي بيشٍ ظَللت تَشَوُّقاً

لِعَينَيكَ أَسرابٌ مِنَ الدَمعِ تُسكَبُ

لِعَينَيكَ أَسرابٌ مِنَ الدَمعِ تُسكَبُ

And one day at Dhu Bish you spent the day yearning,

One day at Dhatu Bayshin I lingered, yearning

with flocks of tears spilling from your eyes.

For your eyes – hosts of tears pouring from them.

أُتيحَت لَنا إِحدى كِلابِ بنِ عامِرٍ

أُتيحَت لَنا إِحدى كِلابِ بنِ عامِرٍ

وَقَد يُقدَرُ الحَينُ البَعيدُ وَيُجلَبُ

وَقَد يُقدَرُ الحَينُ البَعيدُ وَيُجلَبُ

One woman of Kilab ibn Amir was allotted to us—

One of the she-dogs of Banu ‘Amir was granted to us

and far-off doom may be decreed and brought upon us—

And a time far off may be fore-ordained and brought nigh.

بِأَرضٍ نأى عَنها الصَديقُ وَغالَني

بِأَرضٍ نأى عَنها الصَديقُ وَغالَني

بِها مَنزِلٌ عَن طيَّةِ الحيِّ أجنَبُ

بِها مَنزِلٌ عَن طيَّةِ الحيِّ أجنَبُ

in a land my friend had left far behind; and I was laid low

In a land far removed from which the friend withdrew from me

by a dwelling there, far from where the tribe was bound.

I have a dwelling, remote from the quarters of the living, intimate ones.

وَما هَرَبَت مِن حاجَةٍ نَزَلَت بِها

وَما هَرَبَت مِن حاجَةٍ نَزَلَت بِها

وَلَكِنَّها مِن خَشيَةِ الجُرمِ تَهرُبُ

وَلَكِنَّها مِن خَشيَةِ الجُرمِ تَهرُبُ

And she did not flee because want had befallen her,

She fled not from any want that befell her,

but she flees for fear of wrongdoing.

But fled for fear of crime.

أَقامَت بِبيشٍ في ظِلالٍ وَنِعمَةٍ

أَقامَت بِبيشٍ في ظِلالٍ وَنِعمَةٍ

لَها قَيِّمٌ يَخشى الجَرائر مُذنِبُ

لَها قَيِّمٌ يَخشى الجَرائر مُذنِبُ

She stayed in Bish, in shade and comfort;

She stayed at a howdah, in pleasant shade,

she has a guardian, guilty and fearful of misdeeds,

With her a protector, fearing sins, who wrongs.

غَريبٌ نأَى عَن أَرضِهِ وَسَمائِهِ

غَريبٌ نأَى عَن أَرضِهِ وَسَمائِهِ

ليَحيى وَطولُ العمر أمر محبّبُ

ليَحيى وَطولُ العمر أمر محبّبُ

a stranger who went far from his land and his sky

A stranger, far removed from his land and his skies,

to stay alive—for long life is a cherished thing.

That he might live, and length of life is a thing beloved.