كَأَنَّ عُقولَ القَومِ وَاللَهُ شاهِدٌ

كَأَنَّ عُقولَ القَومِ وَاللَهُ شاهِدٌ

جُمِعنَ لَهُم مِن نافِراتٍ أَوارِكِ

جُمِعنَ لَهُم مِن نافِراتٍ أَوارِكِ

It is as though the people's minds—God is witness—

It seemed the minds of the people - and Allah is witness -

Were gathered for them from skittish, arak-grazing camels.

Were gathered for them from fleeing camels.

يَميلونَ لِلدُنِّيا عَلى سَطواتِها

يَميلونَ لِلدُنِّيا عَلى سَطواتِها

وَما نَشَرَت مِن شَرِّها المُتَدارِكِ

وَما نَشَرَت مِن شَرِّها المُتَدارِكِ

They incline toward the world despite her assaults

They incline towards the world with its authority,

And the relentless evil she has spread.

And it has not spread any of its evil that is irredeemable.

وَما هِيَ إِلّا قِسمَةٌ بَينَ أَهلِها

وَما هِيَ إِلّا قِسمَةٌ بَينَ أَهلِها

لِكُلَّهُمُ فيها نَصيبُ مُشارِكِ

لِكُلَّهُمُ فيها نَصيبُ مُشارِكِ

And she is only an allotment among her inhabitants;

It is but a division among its people,

Each of them has a participant's share in her.

Each of them having in it a share of participation.

أَقامَت سُلَيمانَ الَّذي شاعَ مُلكُهُ

أَقامَت سُلَيمانَ الَّذي شاعَ مُلكُهُ

يُراقِبُ أَطهارَ النِساءِ العَوارِكِ

يُراقِبُ أَطهارَ النِساءِ العَوارِكِ

She made Solomon, whose dominion was renowned,

It established Solomon whose kingdom spread,

Watch for the periods of purity of menstruating women.

Observing the chastity of loose women.

إِذا بَعَثتَ مِنها إِلى الأَرضِ نائِلاً

إِذا بَعَثتَ مِنها إِلى الأَرضِ نائِلاً

وَإِن قَلَّ أَلفَتهُ لَهُ غَيرَ تارِكِ

وَإِن قَلَّ أَلفَتهُ لَهُ غَيرَ تارِكِ

If you sent a gift from her down to earth,

Whenever you send forth from it to the ground happily,

However small, she found him not forsaking it.

And if it meets you little, it finds for you other than a leaver.

وَكَم أَرسَلت مِن طارِقٍ وَمُلِمَّةٍ

وَكَم أَرسَلت مِن طارِقٍ وَمُلِمَّةٍ

أَبانَت لَها الرِكبانَ فَوقَ المَوارِكِ

أَبانَت لَها الرِكبانَ فَوقَ المَوارِكِ

And how many a night visitor and calamity she has sent,

And how many dark nights and cloudy days

To which she exposed the riders atop their saddle-rests.

Have disclosed to it the caravans above the camels’ litters.

وَأَركُدَ فيها تَحتَ عِبءٍ لَو أَنَّهُ

وَأَركُدَ فيها تَحتَ عِبءٍ لَو أَنَّهُ

عَلى العيسِ ما قَرَّت بِهِ في المَبارِكِ

عَلى العيسِ ما قَرَّت بِهِ في المَبارِكِ

And I lie still in her beneath a burden that, were it

And he knelt under a burden, if only it were

Upon pale camels, they would not rest under it in their kneeling places.

Upon a staff, it would not have settled with it upon the blessed.

تَبارَكتَ يا رَبَّ العُلا أَنتَ صُغتَها

تَبارَكتَ يا رَبَّ العُلا أَنتَ صُغتَها

فَلَيتَكَ في أَرزائِها لَم تُبارِكِ

فَلَيتَكَ في أَرزائِها لَم تُبارِكِ

Blessed are You, O Lord of the heights; You fashioned her.

Blessed are You, O Lord of Exaltation, You diminished it,

So would that You had not blessed her calamities!

If only You did not bless its trees.

أُعانِقُها عِندَ الوَداعِ تَشَبُّثاً

أُعانِقُها عِندَ الوَداعِ تَشَبُّثاً

وَأَيُّ وَداعٍ بَينَ قالٍ وَفارِكِ

وَأَيُّ وَداعٍ بَينَ قالٍ وَفارِكِ

I embrace her at farewell, clinging fast;

I embrace it upon farewell clinging,

And what farewell is there between a hater and a wife who loathes him?

And what farewell is between a sayer and a separater.