وَقَد كُنتُ آبي أَن أَذِلَّ لِصَبوَةٍ

وَقَد كُنتُ آبي أَن أَذِلَّ لِصَبوَةٍ

وَأَن تَملِكَ البيضُ الحِسانُ عِقالي

وَأَن تَملِكَ البيضُ الحِسانُ عِقالي

And I once refused to bow to youthful passion,

I used to refuse to bow to passion

Or let fair-skinned beauties hold my tether.

And let the eggs rule over my reason

خَميصاً مِنَ الأَشجانِ لا يوضِعُ الهَوى

خَميصاً مِنَ الأَشجانِ لا يوضِعُ الهَوى

بَقَلبي فَلا اِجتازَ الغَرامُ بِبالي

بَقَلبي فَلا اِجتازَ الغَرامُ بِبالي

I was empty of sorrows; desire never galloped

Like a shirt of thorns that desire cannot don

Through my heart, nor did ardent love cross my mind,

Upon my heart, so love could not enter my mind

إِلى أَن تَراءى السِربُ بَينَ غَزالَةٍ

إِلى أَن تَراءى السِربُ بَينَ غَزالَةٍ

تَرَنَّحُ في ثَوبِ الصِبا وَغَزالِ

تَرَنَّحُ في ثَوبِ الصِبا وَغَزالِ

Until the herd came into view, with a doe

Until a herd appeared amidst a doe

Swaying in youth's robe, and a buck.

Swaying in the dress of youth and antelope

فَلَمّا اِلتَقَينا كُنتُ أَوَّلَ واجِدٍ

فَلَمّا اِلتَقَينا كُنتُ أَوَّلَ واجِدٍ

وَلَمّا اِفتَرَقنا كُنتُ آخِرَ سالي

وَلَمّا اِفتَرَقنا كُنتُ آخِرَ سالي

So when we met, I was the first to fall in love,

When we met I was the first ecstatic

And when we parted, I was the last to forget.

When we parted I was the last melancholic

وَلَيلَةِ وَصلٍ باتَ مُنجِزُ وَعدِهِ

وَلَيلَةِ وَصلٍ باتَ مُنجِزُ وَعدِهِ

حَبيبِيَ فيها بَعدَ طولِ مَطالِ

حَبيبِيَ فيها بَعدَ طولِ مَطالِ

And on a night of union, his promise was fulfilled

And the night of union my beloved fulfilled his promise

By my beloved that night, after long delay.

After prolonged estrangement

شَفَيتُ بِها قَلباً أُطيلَ غَليلُهُ

شَفَيتُ بِها قَلباً أُطيلَ غَليلُهُ

زَماناً فَكانَت لَيلَةً بِلَيالي

زَماناً فَكانَت لَيلَةً بِلَيالي

I healed with it a heart whose burning thirst had been prolonged

I quenched a heart whose anguish was prolonged

For so long; that one night was worth many nights.

Making it a night among nights

فَيا زائِراً لَو أَستَطيعُ فَدَيتُهُ

فَيا زائِراً لَو أَستَطيعُ فَدَيتُهُ

بِأَهلي عَلى عِزِّ القَبيلِ وَمالي

بِأَهلي عَلى عِزِّ القَبيلِ وَمالي

So, O visitor, if I could, I would ransom him

So visitor if I could ransom him

With my family, despite my clan's nobility, and my wealth.

I would ransom him with my family, my tribe and my wealth