سَنَحَت لَنا بِلَوى العَقيقِ وَرُبَّما

سَنَحَت لَنا بِلَوى العَقيقِ وَرُبَّما

عَرَضَ الزُلالُ وَزيدَ عَنهُ الفارِطُ

عَرَضَ الزُلالُ وَزيدَ عَنهُ الفارِطُ

She appeared to us at al-ʿAqīq’s winding sands—yet sometimes

The sorrow of parting befell us, and at times

Clear water appears, and the water-seeker is turned away from it.

The shade of clouds passed, with continuous rain overflowing.

قَلبي وَطَرفي يَومَ حُمَّ لِقاؤُها

قَلبي وَطَرفي يَومَ حُمَّ لِقاؤُها

ضِدّانِ ذا راضٍ وَهَذا ساخِطُ

ضِدّانِ ذا راضٍ وَهَذا ساخِطُ

My heart and my eye, on the day meeting her was ordained,

My heart and eyes on the day we meet,

Were opposites: one content, the other resentful.

Are opposites - one is pleased, the other angry.

نَظَرَت بِلا قَصدٍ فَأَقصَدتِ الحَشا

نَظَرَت بِلا قَصدٍ فَأَقصَدتِ الحَشا

وَيُذيقُ طَعمَ المَوتِ سَهمٌ غالِطُ

وَيُذيقُ طَعمَ المَوتِ سَهمٌ غالِطُ

She glanced without aim, yet mortally wounded my heart;

You glanced unintentionally, so you reached my innermost being,

And an errant arrow makes one taste death.

And an errant arrow inflicts the taste of death.

قُل لِلغَزالِ إِذا مَرَرتَ بِذي النَقا

قُل لِلغَزالِ إِذا مَرَرتَ بِذي النَقا

فَلَعَلَّ جَأشَكَ لِلبِلابِلِ رابِطُ

فَلَعَلَّ جَأشَكَ لِلبِلابِلِ رابِطُ

Tell the gazelle, when you pass through Dhū al-Naqā,

Say to the gazelle, if you pass the one with a mark,

For perhaps your heart stands firm against anguish:

Perhaps your fear is for the nightingale held captive.

لِمَ أَنتَ في هِبَةِ القَليلِ مُناقِشٌ

لِمَ أَنتَ في هِبَةِ القَليلِ مُناقِشٌ

أَبَداً وَفي عِدَةِ الوِصالِ مُغالِطُ

أَبَداً وَفي عِدَةِ الوِصالِ مُغالِطُ

Why do you quibble over giving even a little

Why do you discuss the little gift,

Always—and deceive when promising union?

Yet in counting the days of reunion, you deceive?