سَرى لَيْلاً خَيالٌ مِنْ سُلَيْمى

سَرى لَيْلاً خَيالٌ مِنْ سُلَيْمى

فأَرَّقَني وأصْحابي هُجُودُ

فأَرَّقَني وأصْحابي هُجُودُ

A vision of Sulayma came by night,

A phantom from Sulaima passed by at night,

And kept me awake while my companions slept.

Keeping me and my companions awake in anguish,

فَبِتُّ أُدِيرُ أَمْرِي كلَّ حالٍ

فَبِتُّ أُدِيرُ أَمْرِي كلَّ حالٍ

وأَرْقُبُ أَهْلَها وهُمُ بعيدُ

وأَرْقُبُ أَهْلَها وهُمُ بعيدُ

So I spent the night turning my affairs over in every way,

So I spend my nights turning over my affairs,

And watched for her people, though they were far away.

Watching for her folk though they are far.

عَلى أَنْ قَدْ سَما طَرْفِي لِنارٍ

عَلى أَنْ قَدْ سَما طَرْفِي لِنارٍ

يُشَبُّ لها بذِي الأَرْطى وَقُودُ

يُشَبُّ لها بذِي الأَرْطى وَقُودُ

Yet my gaze had risen toward a fire,

Though my eyes have glimpsed a fire,

Whose fuel is kindled at Dhu al-Arta.

For which Dhi l-Arta provides the fuel,

حَوالَيْها مَهاً جُمُّ التَّراقي

حَوالَيْها مَهاً جُمُّ التَّراقي

وأَرْآمٌ وغِزْلانٌ رُقُودُ

وأَرْآمٌ وغِزْلانٌ رُقُودُ

Around it are white oryx, full about the collarbones,

With tangled hair, a pressing crowd;

And white antelopes and gazelles asleep.

Gazelles and wild cows lying down around it.

نَواعِمُ لا تُعالِجُ بُؤْسَ عَيْشٍ

نَواعِمُ لا تُعالِجُ بُؤْسَ عَيْشٍ

أَوانِسُ لا تُراحُ وَلا تَرُودُ

أَوانِسُ لا تُراحُ وَلا تَرُودُ

Delicate, they do not contend with life's hardship,

Gentle ladies who brook no misery of life,

Companionable, neither herded home at dusk nor roaming for pasture.

Companions who neither nod off nor slumber,

يَزُحْنَ مَعاً بِطاءَ المَشْيِ بُدّاً

يَزُحْنَ مَعاً بِطاءَ المَشْيِ بُدّاً

عليهنَّ المَجاسِدُ والبُرُودُ

عليهنَّ المَجاسِدُ والبُرُودُ

They move together, slow of gait and broad-thighed,

Stirring together with the slow gait that shows their trailing gowns,

Upon them are saffron-dyed robes and striped cloaks.

Wrapped in their mantles and cloaks.

سَكَنَّ ببلْدَةٍ وسَكَنْتُ أُخرى

سَكَنَّ ببلْدَةٍ وسَكَنْتُ أُخرى

وقُطِّعَتِ المواثِقُ والعُهُودُ

وقُطِّعَتِ المواثِقُ والعُهُودُ

They dwelt in one land, and I dwelt in another,

They lodged in one place, while I lodged in another,

And the pledges and covenants were severed.

So ties were cut and pacts broken.

فَما بالي أَفِي ويُخانُ عَهْدِي

فَما بالي أَفِي ويُخانُ عَهْدِي

وما بالي أُصادُ وَلا أَصِيدُ

وما بالي أُصادُ وَلا أَصِيدُ

So why do I keep faith while my pledge is betrayed?

Why do I wander while my troth is betrayed?

And why am I hunted, yet do not hunt?

Why do I still hunt though I take no game?

ورُبَّ أَسِيلةِ الخَدَّيْنَ بِكْرٍ

ورُبَّ أَسِيلةِ الخَدَّيْنَ بِكْرٍ

مُنَعَّمَةٍ لها فَرْعٌ وجِيدُ

مُنَعَّمَةٍ لها فَرْعٌ وجِيدُ

And many a virgin with smooth, slender cheeks,

Many a rosy-checked virgin, shapely and plump,

Pampered, with flowing tresses and a graceful neck,

Of branching collar-bones and swelling breasts,

وذُو أُشْرٍ شَتِيتُ النَّبْتِ عَذْبٌ

وذُو أُشْرٍ شَتِيتُ النَّبْتِ عَذْبٌ

نَقِيُّ اللَّوْنِ بَرَّاقٌ بَرُودُ

نَقِيُّ اللَّوْنِ بَرَّاقٌ بَرُودُ

And a sweet mouth with finely serrated, spaced teeth,

A gazelle, with scattered and sweet-scented desert plants,

Pure in color, gleaming and cool,

Of pure hue, radiant, cool,

لَهوْتُ بها زَماناً مِن شَبابي

لَهوْتُ بها زَماناً مِن شَبابي

وزارَتْها النَّجائِبُ والقَصِيدُ

وزارَتْها النَّجائِبُ والقَصِيدُ

I dallied with her for a time in my youth,

I toyed with for a time in my youth,

And fine-bred camels and verse visited her.

While poets recited their odes.

أُناسٌ كلَّما أَخْلَقْتُ وَصْلاً

أُناسٌ كلَّما أَخْلَقْتُ وَصْلاً

عَنانِي منهُمُ وَصْلٌ جَدِيدُ

عَنانِي منهُمُ وَصْلٌ جَدِيدُ

A people—whenever I wore out a bond,

People - whenever I contracted a new passion,

A fresh bond with them would claim my attention.

They broke it off with yet another.