ما لم تزوروا فالمامُ الكرى زورُ

ما لم تزوروا فالمامُ الكرى زورُ

أنَّى وقد صاحَ حادي عيسكمْ سيروا

أنَّى وقد صاحَ حادي عيسكمْ سيروا

As long as you do not visit, sleep's visitation is a lie.

If you haven't visited, the greatest of afflictions is visiting.

How could it be, when your pale camels' driver has cried, 'Move on!'

Why have you set out when your guide has called you to ride?

سرتمْ فكم حنَّ مشغوفٌ بكم دَنِفٌ

سرتمْ فكم حنَّ مشغوفٌ بكم دَنِفٌ

في الربعِ حُزناً وكم قد أن مهجورُ

في الربعِ حُزناً وكم قد أن مهجورُ

You departed; how many a lovesick one, enamored of you, yearned

You left, yet how many are passionately yearning for you in the highlands,

in the dwelling-place in sorrow; how many an abandoned one groaned.

Grieving in the desert, and how many are now abandoned!

طوى على لهبِ الأشواقِ أضلعَه

طوى على لهبِ الأشواقِ أضلعَه

وحشوُها منه تأجيجٌ وتسعيرُ

وحشوُها منه تأجيجٌ وتسعيرُ

He folded his ribs around the flame of yearning,

He has folded his ribs over the flames of longing,

and their hollow is filled with its flare and blaze.

And its fuel is his kindling and igniting.

تُذكي الغرامَ وفي وجدي وزفرتِه

تُذكي الغرامَ وفي وجدي وزفرتِه

لو لامسَ الصخرَاِضرامٌ وتأثيرُ

لو لامسَ الصخرَاِضرامٌ وتأثيرُ

They kindle passion; in my ardor and its sigh

It would ignite passion, and in my anguish and his sighing,

is fire that would ignite and mark rock, were it to touch it.

Were a boulder to be touched by the blazing fire.

جمعتمُ بين اشجاني وبينكمُ

جمعتمُ بين اشجاني وبينكمُ

وكلُّ ذنبٍ سوى التفريقِ مغفورُ

وكلُّ ذنبٍ سوى التفريقِ مغفورُ

You bound my sorrows to yourselves,

You have combined my torment with yourselves,

and every sin except separation is forgiven.

And any sin other than parting is forgivable.

حسبي من الوجدِ أجفانٌ مباعَدَةٌ

حسبي من الوجدِ أجفانٌ مباعَدَةٌ

ما تلتقي وحشاً بالشوقِ مسجورُ

ما تلتقي وحشاً بالشوقِ مسجورُ

Enough for me of yearning: eyelids held apart,

It suffices me from passion that my eyelids are distanced,

that never meet, and a heart ablaze with longing;

Never meeting, while my fervent longing remains preserved.

وادمعٌ كلما أنشْدتُ مِن طربي

وادمعٌ كلما أنشْدتُ مِن طربي

شِعرى فضدّانِمنظومٌ ومنشورُ

شِعرى فضدّانِمنظومٌ ومنشورُ

and tears: whenever, in my rapture, I recite

And a tear flows whenever I recite from my joy

my verse, there are two opposites—one strung and one scattered.

My poetry, so they are two opposites, rhythmic and scattered.

تنهلُّ في أربعُ الأحبابِ نائبةً

تنهلُّ في أربعُ الأحبابِ نائبةً

عنِ الغمامِ وجيبُ الليلِ مزرورُ

عنِ الغمامِ وجيبُ الليلِ مزرورُ

They pour down in the beloved's dwelling-grounds, standing in

It flows in place of the clouds over the meadows of loved ones,

for rainclouds, while night's neckline is buttoned shut.

And the night’s darkness is embroidered.

مرابعٌ عَفَّتِ النّكباءُ ما ثلَها

مرابعٌ عَفَّتِ النّكباءُ ما ثلَها

مِن بعدِ ما مرَّ دهرٌ وهو معمورُ

مِن بعدِ ما مرَّ دهرٌ وهو معمورُ

Dwelling-grounds whose standing traces the crosswind effaced,

Pure-hearted girls the like of whom haven't existed

after an age had passed while the place was inhabited.

Since the days of past prosperous times.

وللزمانِ بأهليهِ

وللزمانِ بأهليهِ

ولو كَرِهوا

ولو كَرِهوا

And time holds, for its people,

And time has its people,

even against their will,

Even if they dislike it, and the lands have changes and alterations.

وبالدَّيارِ تصاريفٌ وتغييرُ

وبالدَّيارِ تصاريفٌ وتغييرُ

يا مُنحَني الجِزْعِ لا زالَ السحابُ له

يا مُنحَني الجِزْعِ لا زالَ السحابُ له

and for their dwellings, vicissitudes and change.

O you who bend in sadness, the clouds still have for him

O bend of the valley, may the clouds never cease

Comfort and exaltation in the rain pouring down.

عليكَ بالغيثِ ترويحٌ وتكبيرُ

عليكَ بالغيثِ ترويحٌ وتكبيرُ

يروي ثراكَ فيبدو في رياضِكَ مِن

يروي ثراكَ فيبدو في رياضِكَ مِن

to refresh you with rain and proclaim God's greatness.

It waters your land, so there appear in your meadows

It waters your soil, and in your gardens appear

Wondrous beauties for the onlooker – flowers.

بدائعِ النَّورِ للرائي أزاهيرُ

بدائعِ النَّورِ للرائي أزاهيرُ

وينثني البانُ ريانَ الغصونِ اِذا

وينثني البانُ ريانَ الغصونِ اِذا

flowers for the beholder, among the wonders of bloom.

And the slender boughs bend when the ostriches sway them while laden,

And the bān tree bends, its branches well-watered, when

While the foliage laments dolefully above them at dawn, disclosing signs.

ما ميّلَتهُ النُّعامى وهو مَمْطُورُ

ما ميّلَتهُ النُّعامى وهو مَمْطُورُ

تنوحُ مِن فوقهِ الورقاءُ ساجعةً

تنوحُ مِن فوقهِ الورقاءُ ساجعةً

the south wind sways it, drenched with rain.

Lamenting over the treetops while the murmurs of longing have vanished,

The gray dove laments above it, cooing,

Repeatedly grieving.

والصبحُ لائحةٌ منه التباشيرُ

والصبحُ لائحةٌ منه التباشيرُ

لنوحها فوقَ أفنانِ الأراكِ وقد

لنوحها فوقَ أفنانِ الأراكِ وقد

while dawn's first signs are showing.

So if the pact of love yearns with the weeping of leaves,

Her lament above the arāk's branches, now that

Then the ally of yearning is forgivable.

غابَ الهديلُ مِن الأشواقِ تكريرُ

غابَ الهديلُ مِن الأشواقِ تكريرُ

فاِنْ يَهِمْ بحنينِ الوُرقِ حِلْفُ هوًى

فاِنْ يَهِمْ بحنينِ الوُرقِ حِلْفُ هوًى

the male dove is gone, is repeated out of longing.

Since his loved ones left him and so did his neighbor,

If love's companion is driven to distraction by the gray doves' plaintive cooing,

The greatest affliction has befallen him and he is terrified.

شوقاً فاِنَّ حليفَ الشوقِ معذورُ

شوقاً فاِنَّ حليفَ الشوقِ معذورُ

مذ بانَ أحبابهُ عنهُ وجيرتُهُ

مذ بانَ أحبابهُ عنهُ وجيرتُهُ

out of longing, then longing's companion is excused.

And the groves have compensated him after them with sorrow

Since his loved ones and neighbors departed from him,

While he was once happy and close to them.

أمسى الكرى وهو عن عينيهِ مذعورُ

أمسى الكرى وهو عن عينيهِ مذعورُ

وعوَّضتْه النوى مِن بعدِهم حُزناً

وعوَّضتْه النوى مِن بعدِهم حُزناً

sleep is now frightened away from his eyes.

So time became blameworthy. If only they would

And separation gave him sorrow in exchange after they left,

Return to me while it is appreciated.

وكانَ بالقربِ منهمْ وَهْوَ مسرورُ

وكانَ بالقربِ منهمْ وَهْوَ مسرورُ

فأصبحَ الدهرُ مذموماً فليتهمُ

فأصبحَ الدهرُ مذموماً فليتهمُ

whereas, when near them, he was happy.

There is no shame to my skin now they have departed,

Time has become blameworthy; would that they

When passion overcomes me and I am defeated and coerced.

عادوا ليرجِعُ عندي وهو مشكورُ

عادوا ليرجِعُ عندي وهو مشكورُ

وما على جَلَدي عارٌ وقد نَزَحُوا

وما على جَلَدي عارٌ وقد نَزَحُوا

returned, so time might again be praised in my eyes.

I tasked it with love – meaning its heaviness I tolerated –

Nor is my fortitude disgraced, since they have journeyed far,

So exhaustion from it was revealed.

اِذا اغتدى وَهْوَ مغلوبٌ ومقهورُ

اِذا اغتدى وَهْوَ مغلوبٌ ومقهورُ

حَمَّلْتُهُ الحبَّ يعني ثِقلُه اِضَماً

حَمَّلْتُهُ الحبَّ يعني ثِقلُه اِضَماً

if it has become overcome and subdued.

Our loved ones – my secret was with you before

I made it bear love, whose weight wearies Iḍam,

The outpouring of my tears while it was concealed.

فبانَ فيه مِنَ الاعياءِ تقصيرُ

فبانَ فيه مِنَ الاعياءِ تقصيرُ

أحبابَنا كانَ سرّي قبلَ بينكمُ

أحبابَنا كانَ سرّي قبلَ بينكمُ

so its failing through exhaustion became plain.

Days when I was brave to people due to my closeness to you,

Our loved ones, my secret was, before your departure

Smiles would shine from my face.

وقبلَ فيضِ دموعي وهو مستورُ

وقبلَ فيضِ دموعي وهو مستورُ

أيام كنتُ بقربي منكمُ جَذِلاً

أيام كنتُ بقربي منكمُ جَذِلاً

and before my tears overflowed, still concealed.

And today my share of your nearness

in the days when, close to you, I was joyful,

Has become slight, while it was abundant and plentiful.

للبِشْرِ تُبْرِقُ مِنْ وجهي اساريرُ

للبِشْرِ تُبْرِقُ مِنْ وجهي اساريرُ

واليومَ قد صارَ حظَّي مِن دنوكُّمُ

واليومَ قد صارَ حظَّي مِن دنوكُّمُ

the lines of my face gleaming with gladness.

My heart is sickened that it has now come to demand

Today my share of your nearness has become

Union with you, then is deluded.

نَزْراً وقد كانَ منه وهو موفورُ

نَزْراً وقد كانَ منه وهو موفورُ

أُعلَّلُ القلبُ أن أضحى يُطالِبُني

أُعلَّلُ القلبُ أن أضحى يُطالِبُني

scant, though once it was abundant.

As if the reunion of kindred after the days of

I beguile my heart, now that it has begun to ask me

My familiarity with loving friends is forbidden.

بالوصلِ منكمْ فيُمسي وهو مغرورُ

بالوصلِ منكمْ فيُمسي وهو مغرورُ

حتى كأنَّ التئامَ الشملِ لا بَعُدَتْ

حتى كأنَّ التئامَ الشملِ لا بَعُدَتْ

for reunion with you, so it ends the day deluded.

Will a journey ever bring them close,

Until it seems that reunion—may they never grow distant,

Caravans or swift riding camels?

أيامُ أُنسي بأهلِ الودَّ محظورُ

أيامُ أُنسي بأهلِ الودَّ محظورُ

هل تُدِنينَّهمُ عيسٌ مزمَمةٌ

هل تُدِنينَّهمُ عيسٌ مزمَمةٌ

my days of joy with loving friends—is forbidden.

After barriers of military camps, banners and drums

Will haltered pale camels bring them near,

Have come between me and them.

بُدْنٌ مراسيلُ أو وجناءُ عَيْسُورُ

بُدْنٌ مراسيلُ أو وجناءُ عَيْسُورُ

مِنْ بعدِ ما حجزتْ بيني وبينهمُ ال

مِنْ بعدِ ما حجزتْ بيني وبينهمُ ال

large-bodied and fleet, or a high-cheeked, powerful she-camel,

I reckon the ally of the war-drums has taken his stance,

after there had stood between me and them the

There resounding and provoking separation.

بيدُ البلاقعُ والأعلامُ والقُورُ

بيدُ البلاقعُ والأعلامُ والقُورُ

أظَنُّ فيها حليفُ الكُورِ مُنْتَصِباً

أظَنُّ فيها حليفُ الكُورِ مُنْتَصِباً

barren deserts, the mountain landmarks, and the flat-topped hills?

Until nights of reunion return radiant with them

I imagine there the camel-saddle's companion, sitting upright,

And the train of my joy while it is dragged along.

فيه اليفايَتخويدٌ وتهجيرُ

فيه اليفايَتخويدٌ وتهجيرُ

حتى تعودَ ليالي الوصلِ مشرقةً

حتى تعودَ ليالي الوصلِ مشرقةً

there, [unclear text], swift camel-trotting and travel in the noon heat,

until the nights of reunion return, radiant

بهم وذيلُ سروري وهو مَجْرُورُ

بهم وذيلُ سروري وهو مَجْرُورُ

with them, while the train of my joy trails behind.