يا طائِرَ البانِ غِرّيداً عَلى فَنَنٍ

يا طائِرَ البانِ غِرّيداً عَلى فَنَنٍ

ما هاجَ نَوحُكَ لي يا طائِرَ البانِ

ما هاجَ نَوحُكَ لي يا طائِرَ البانِ

O bird of the ben tree, singing sweetly on a bough,

O bird of the courtyard, chirp merrily

How your lament has stirred me, O bird of the ben tree!

Why does your cooing disturb me, O bird of the courtyard

هَل أَنتَ مُبلَغُ مَن هامَ الفُؤادُ بِهِ

هَل أَنتَ مُبلَغُ مَن هامَ الفُؤادُ بِهِ

إِنَّ الطَليقَ يُؤَدّي حاجَةَ العاني

إِنَّ الطَليقَ يُؤَدّي حاجَةَ العاني

Will you carry word to the one my heart loves madly?

Are you a messenger for the one my heart is infatuated with?

Indeed, the free one fulfills the captive's need.

The free can fulfill the wish of the lovesick

ضَمانَةٌ ما جَناها غَيرُ مُقلَتِهِ

ضَمانَةٌ ما جَناها غَيرُ مُقلَتِهِ

يَومَ الوَداعِ فَيا شَوقي إِلى الجاني

يَومَ الوَداعِ فَيا شَوقي إِلى الجاني

A lingering sickness, caused by none but his eye

No guarantee has been broken except his visit

On the day of farewell—oh, my longing for the culprit!

On the day of parting, oh how I yearn for my beloved

مُغَفَّلٌ عَن هُمومي في بُلَهنِيَةٍ

مُغَفَّلٌ عَن هُمومي في بُلَهنِيَةٍ

أَرعى النُجومَ وَطَرفاهُ قَريرانِ

أَرعى النُجومَ وَطَرفاهُ قَريرانِ

Heedless of my cares, he lives in carefree ease;

Oblivious of my worries in his heedlessness

I watch the stars, while his eyes are at rest.

He grazes the stars, his eyelids fluttering

يَنأى وَيَدنو عَلى خَضراءَ مَورِقَةٍ

يَنأى وَيَدنو عَلى خَضراءَ مَورِقَةٍ

لُعبَ النُعامى بِأَوراقٍ وَأَغصانِ

لُعبَ النُعامى بِأَوراقٍ وَأَغصانِ

He draws away and comes near on a green, leafy tree,

He distances and comes close on the green meadow

As the south wind plays with leaves and branches.

Ostriches playing with leaves and branches

كَالقُرطِ عُلِّقَ في ذِفرى مُبَتَّلَةٍ

كَالقُرطِ عُلِّقَ في ذِفرى مُبَتَّلَةٍ

بَينَ العَقائِلِ قُرطاها قَليقانِ

بَينَ العَقائِلِ قُرطاها قَليقانِ

Like an earring hung behind the ear of a shapely woman,

Like an earring hung on a perfumed braid

Among noble ladies, with her two earrings swaying.

Between ringlets, its rings jingling

هَيهاتَ ما أَنتَ مِن وَجدي وَلا طَرَبي

هَيهاتَ ما أَنتَ مِن وَجدي وَلا طَرَبي

وَلا لِقَلبِكَ أَشجاني وَأَحزاني

وَلا لِقَلبِكَ أَشجاني وَأَحزاني

Far from it! You share neither my passion nor my rapture,

Alas, you are not of my passion or my delight

Nor does your heart bear my griefs and sorrows.

Nor does your heart share my sorrows and grief

وَلا نَظَرتَ إِلى ماءٍ عَلى ظَمَإٍ

وَلا نَظَرتَ إِلى ماءٍ عَلى ظَمَإٍ

تَبغي الوُرودَ وَلَيسَ الوِردُ بِالداني

تَبغي الوُرودَ وَلَيسَ الوِردُ بِالداني

Nor have you gazed at water while thirsty,

You did not look upon water when thirsty

Seeking to reach it, though the watering place is not near.

You seek roses, and roses are not easy to obtain

وَلا فُجِعتَ وَقَد سارَت رَكائِبُهُم

وَلا فُجِعتَ وَقَد سارَت رَكائِبُهُم

يَومَ الغَميمِ بِغِزلانِ كَغِزلانِ

يَومَ الغَميمِ بِغِزلانِ كَغِزلانِ

Nor were you bereft, when their riding camels departed,

You did not weep when their caravans departed

On the day at al-Ghamim, of beauties like gazelles.

On a cloudy day, like gazelles, like gazelles

لَولا تَذَكُّرُ أَيّامي بِذي سَلَمٍ

لَولا تَذَكُّرُ أَيّامي بِذي سَلَمٍ

وَعِندَ رامَةَ أَوطاري وَأَوطاني

وَعِندَ رامَةَ أَوطاري وَأَوطاني

Were it not for remembering my days at Dhu Salam,

Had I not recalled my days with someone peaceful

And, at Ramah, my desires and my homelands,

And my places of rest and homelands

لَما قَدَحتُ بِنارِ الوَجدِ في كَبِدي

لَما قَدَحتُ بِنارِ الوَجدِ في كَبِدي

وَلا بَلَلتُ بِماءِ الدَمعِ أَجفاني

وَلا بَلَلتُ بِماءِ الدَمعِ أَجفاني

I would not have kindled the fire of passion in my liver,

I would not have kindled with passion’s fire in my liver

Nor wetted my eyelids with the water of tears.

Nor wet my eyelids with tears