بَينَ البَدِيِّ وَبَينَ بُرقَةِ ضاحِكٍ

بَينَ البَدِيِّ وَبَينَ بُرقَةِ ضاحِكٍ

غَوثُ اللَهيفِ وَفارِسٌ مِقدامُ

غَوثُ اللَهيفِ وَفارِسٌ مِقدامُ

Between al-Badiyy and Burqat Dahik

Between the desert and the smiling lightning

Lies a rescuer of the distressed, a bold horseman.

Help from God and a courageous horseman

وَمَقابِرُ بَينَ الرُسيسِ وَعاقِلٍ

وَمَقابِرُ بَينَ الرُسيسِ وَعاقِلٍ

دَرَست وَفيها مُنجَبونَ كِرامُ

دَرَست وَفيها مُنجَبونَ كِرامُ

And graves between al-Rusays and Aqil

And tombs between erosion and reason

Have faded away, with well-born, noble men within.

I studied them and in them rest honourable men

جَزعاً جَزَعتُ عَلَيهِم فَدَعَوتُهم

جَزعاً جَزَعتُ عَلَيهِم فَدَعَوتُهم

لَو يَسمَعونَ وَكَيفَ تُدعى الهامُ

لَو يَسمَعونَ وَكَيفَ تُدعى الهامُ

In anguish I grieved for them, then called to them—

I lamented over them and called out to them

If only they could hear! But how can skulls be summoned?

If only they could hear, though yearning cannot be summoned

لا تَبعِدوا وَغَدا السَلامُ عَلَيكُمُ

لا تَبعِدوا وَغَدا السَلامُ عَلَيكُمُ

وَسرى فَقد يَتَفَرَّقُ الأَقوامُ

وَسرى فَقد يَتَفَرَّقُ الأَقوامُ

May you not be far away; may peace come to you at dawn

Do not go far, peace be upon you

And journey by night, for peoples sometimes part.

And farewell, for people may separate

فَأَبيتُ مَسروراً بِرُؤيَةِ مَن أَرى

فَأَبيتُ مَسروراً بِرُؤيَةِ مَن أَرى

فَإِذا اِنتَبَهتُ إِذا هِيَ الأَحلامُ

فَإِذا اِنتَبَهتُ إِذا هِيَ الأَحلامُ

So I spend the night delighted at the sight of those I see;

Yet I refused, delighted to see those I saw

But when I awaken, behold: they are dreams.

And when I awoke, they were but dreams