هَذا العَقيقُ وَهَذا الرَّندُ وَالبانُ

هَذا العَقيقُ وَهَذا الرَّندُ وَالبانُ

فَكَيفَ تَبخَلُ لي بِالدَّمعِ أَجفانُ

فَكَيفَ تَبخَلُ لي بِالدَّمعِ أَجفانُ

Here is al-‘Aqiq, and here are the laurel and the moringa trees.

This carnelian, this basil, and this moist earth,

How, then, can eyelids begrudge me tears?

How then can my eyelids be stingy with tears?

بانَ الأَحِبَّةُ عَن سَلعٍ وَكاظِمَةٍ

بانَ الأَحِبَّةُ عَن سَلعٍ وَكاظِمَةٍ

فَبانَ حُسنُ عَزاءِ القَلبِ إِذ بانوا

فَبانَ حُسنُ عَزاءِ القَلبِ إِذ بانوا

The loved ones departed from Sal‘ and Kazimah,

The loved ones left Sal‘ and Kadhimah,

So the heart's sweet consolation vanished when they departed.

So the beauty of the heart's solace appeared when they left.

أشتاقُ نَعمانَ مِن بابِ البَريدِ فَيا

أشتاقُ نَعمانَ مِن بابِ البَريدِ فَيا

لِلَهِ ما هاجَهُ في القَلبِ نَعمانُ

لِلَهِ ما هاجَهُ في القَلبِ نَعمانُ

From Bab al-Barid I long for Nu‘man—O

I yearn for Na‘man from the post house door. Oh!

God, what Nu‘man has stirred within my heart!

What has stirred for Na‘man in my heart!

أَقسَمتُ مالي مُذ بانَ الحَبيبُ عَنِ ال

أَقسَمتُ مالي مُذ بانَ الحَبيبُ عَنِ ال

عُذيبِ إِلّا عَنِ السِلوانِ سِلوانُ

عُذيبِ إِلّا عَنِ السِلوانِ سِلوانُ

I swear, since the beloved departed from al-

I swore by my money, since the beloved left torture,

‘Udhayb, I have forgotten nothing but how to forget.

Except complaining, there is nothing but complaining.

ما هَذِهِ الدارُ داراً كُنتُ أَعهَدُها

ما هَذِهِ الدارُ داراً كُنتُ أَعهَدُها

قَبلَ الرَّحيلِ ولا الجيرانُ جيرانُ

قَبلَ الرَّحيلِ ولا الجيرانُ جيرانُ

This dwelling is not the dwelling I once knew

This is not the house I once knew,

Before the departure, nor are the neighbors the same.

Nor before leaving were the neighbors neighbors.

عَلِّي أَرى أَهلَها مِن بَعدِ بُعدِهِمُ

عَلِّي أَرى أَهلَها مِن بَعدِ بُعدِهِمُ

كَما رَأى عَرشَ بَلقيسٍ سُلَيمانُ

كَما رَأى عَرشَ بَلقيسٍ سُلَيمانُ

Perhaps I shall see its people after they have gone far away,

Show me, so I can see its people from afar,

As Solomon saw the throne of Bilqis.

As Solomon saw the throne of Balqis.

ما مِثلَ أَوطانِنا إِذ كانَ جاوَرَنا

ما مِثلَ أَوطانِنا إِذ كانَ جاوَرَنا

فيها الحَبيبُ مِنَ الأَوطانِ أَوطانُ

فيها الحَبيبُ مِنَ الأَوطانِ أَوطانُ

No homelands are like our own, when beside us dwelt

Nothing equals our homelands when the beloved

The beloved in them—none among all homelands.

Among homelands, dwelled there with us.

ماءُ العُذيبِ وَلَو مِقدارُ مَضمَضَةٍ

ماءُ العُذيبِ وَلَو مِقدارُ مَضمَضَةٍ

يَشفي غَليلَ فُؤادي وَهوَ ظَمآنُ

يَشفي غَليلَ فُؤادي وَهوَ ظَمآنُ

The water of al-‘Udhayb, even enough for a mouth-rinse,

Spring water, even a mouthful,

Quenches my heart's burning thirst, parched as it is.

Quenches my heart’s thirst when it is thirsty.

يا حَبَّذا نَفَحاتُ الرَّوضِ قابَلَنا

يا حَبَّذا نَفَحاتُ الرَّوضِ قابَلَنا

بِها عَرارٌ وَقَيصومٌ وَحَوذانُ

بِها عَرارٌ وَقَيصومٌ وَحَوذانُ

Oh, how lovely the garden's fragrant breaths, with which we were greeted

Good are the meadow’s breezes when they meet us,

By ‘arar flowers, qaysum, and buttercups!

Amidst them are ‘Arar, Qaisum, and Hawdhan.

وَالوُرقُ في عَذَباتِ البانِ مُطرِبَةٌ

وَالوُرقُ في عَذَباتِ البانِ مُطرِبَةٌ

وَالزَهرُ صاحٍ وَنَبتُ الرَّوضِ نَشوانُ

وَالزَهرُ صاحٍ وَنَبتُ الرَّوضِ نَشوانُ

And gray doves sing enchantingly on the moringa's branch tips,

The leaves in the moist earth’s kindness are blithe,

And the blossoms are sober, while the garden's greenery is drunk.

The flowers laughing and the meadow’s plants delighted.