لَقَد أَمِنَتني الأَدماءُ أَضحَت

لَقَد أَمِنَتني الأَدماءُ أَضحَت

تُراعي في مَراتِعِها طُلَيّا

تُراعي في مَراتِعِها طُلَيّا

The tawny gazelles have come to feel safe from me; now they

Indeed, the white doe feels safe from me; she now

tend a little fawn in their pasture grounds.

watches over a little fawn in her grazing grounds.

بَعُدتُ مِنَ الأَصادِقِ وَالأَعادي

بَعُدتُ مِنَ الأَصادِقِ وَالأَعادي

فَما أَنا مِن أُلاكَ وَلا أَلَيّا

فَما أَنا مِن أُلاكَ وَلا أَلَيّا

I have withdrawn far from friends and foes,

I have grown distant from friends and foes,

so I am neither one of those nor of these.

so I belong neither to those nor to these.

دَعا لي بِالحَياةِ أَخو وِدادٍ

دَعا لي بِالحَياةِ أَخو وِدادٍ

رُوَيدَكَ إِنَّما تَدعو عَلَيّا

رُوَيدَكَ إِنَّما تَدعو عَلَيّا

A loving friend prayed that I might live.

A loving friend prayed that I might live.

Easy now—you are only praying against me.

Easy now—you are only praying against me.

وَما كانَ البَقاءُ لِيَ اِختِياراً

وَما كانَ البَقاءُ لِيَ اِختِياراً

لَوَ اِنَّ الأَمرَ مَردودٌ إِلَيّا

لَوَ اِنَّ الأَمرَ مَردودٌ إِلَيّا

Nor would survival be my choice,

And living on would not be my choice,

had the decision been left to me.

if indeed the matter were left to me.