وَلَقَد أَقولُ لِصاحِبٍ نَبَّهتُهُ

وَلَقَد أَقولُ لِصاحِبٍ نَبَّهتُهُ

فَوقَ الرَحالَةِ وَالمَطيُّ رَواقي

فَوقَ الرَحالَةِ وَالمَطيُّ رَواقي

And indeed I said to a companion I had roused

Indeed I say to a companion I have admonished

upon the saddle, while the camels climbed:

Above the saddlebags, with the mounts as a shelter,

أَو ما شَمَمتَ بِذي الأَبارِقِ نَفحَةً

أَو ما شَمَمتَ بِذي الأَبارِقِ نَفحَةً

خَلَصَت إِلى كَبِدِ الفَتى المُشتاقِ

خَلَصَت إِلى كَبِدِ الفَتى المُشتاقِ

"And have you not smelled at Dhu al-Abariq a fragrant breath

Or have you not sensed from one with standards a scent

that reached the liver of the yearning youth?

That reached the core of the yearning youth

فَجَنى نَسيمَ الشيحِ مِن نَجدٍ لَهُ

فَجَنى نَسيمَ الشيحِ مِن نَجدٍ لَهُ

حُرَقُ الحَشى وَتَحَلُّبُ الآماقِ

حُرَقُ الحَشى وَتَحَلُّبُ الآماقِ

So the yield of the wormwood breeze from Najd, for him, is

So he attained the breeze of Sheeh from Najd

burning in the vitals and tears welling from the eye-corners.

Burning his innards and melting his bones

آهاً عَلى نَفَحاتِ نَجدٍ إِنَّها

آهاً عَلى نَفَحاتِ نَجدٍ إِنَّها

رُسلُ الهَوى وَأَدِلَّةُ الأَشواقِ

رُسلُ الهَوى وَأَدِلَّةُ الأَشواقِ

Ah, for the fragrant breaths of Najd! They are

Alas! For the breezes of Najd, they

messengers of love and guides of longing.

Are messengers of love and signs of yearnings

أَسُقيتَ بِالكَأسِ الَّتي سُقّيتُها

أَسُقيتَ بِالكَأسِ الَّتي سُقّيتُها

أَم هَل خَطَتكَ إِلَيَّ كَفُّ الساقي

أَم هَل خَطَتكَ إِلَيَّ كَفُّ الساقي

Were you served from the cup from which I was served,

Did you quench your thirst from the cup I was given to drink

or did the cupbearer's hand bypass you to reach me?"

Or did the hand of the cupbearer gesture to me?

فَأَوى وَقالَ أَرى بِقَلبِكَ لَسعَةً

فَأَوى وَقالَ أَرى بِقَلبِكَ لَسعَةً

لِلحُبِّ لَيسَ لِدائِها مِن راقِ

لِلحُبِّ لَيسَ لِدائِها مِن راقِ

Then he took pity and said, "I see in your heart a sting

So he came to me and said, I see in your heart an affliction

of love, whose sickness no healer can charm away.

For love that has no remedy

فَصِفِ الغَرامَ لِمُفرِقٍ مِن دائِهِ

فَصِفِ الغَرامَ لِمُفرِقٍ مِن دائِهِ

إِنّي لَأَقدَمُ مِنكَ في العُشّاقِ

إِنّي لَأَقدَمُ مِنكَ في العُشّاقِ

So describe passion to one recovered from its sickness;

Describe then the passion to one suffering from its pain

I am indeed of longer standing than you among lovers."

I have more experience than you when it comes to lovers

أَبَثَثتُهُ كَمَدي وَطولَ تَجَلُّدي

أَبَثَثتُهُ كَمَدي وَطولَ تَجَلُّدي

وَأَليمَ ما بي مِن نَوىً وَفِراقِ

وَأَليمَ ما بي مِن نَوىً وَفِراقِ

I confided to him my grief and my long endurance,

I unburdened to him my long endurance

and the pain I bear from distance and separation.

And the sorrow deep within me of separation

أَشكو إِلَيهِ بَياضَ سودِ مَفارِقي

أَشكو إِلَيهِ بَياضَ سودِ مَفارِقي

وَيَظَلُّ يَعجَبُ مِن سَوادِ الباقي

وَيَظَلُّ يَعجَبُ مِن سَوادِ الباقي

I complain to him of the whitening of the black hair at my partings,

I complain to him of my farewell's pallor

and he keeps marveling at the blackness of what remains.

Yet he remains astonished at the blackness of what remains