خَليليَّ هَل لي لَو ظَفِرتُ بِنِيَّةٍ

خَليليَّ هَل لي لَو ظَفِرتُ بِنِيَّةٍ

إِلى الجِزعِ مِن وادي الأَراكِ سَبيلُ

إِلى الجِزعِ مِن وادي الأَراكِ سَبيلُ

My two companions, if I should reach Nineveh, would I

My two friends, were I to attain my purpose, would I have

have a road to al-Jazʿ in the Valley of Arak?

A path to the bend of Wadi al-Arak?

وَهَل أَنا في الرَكبِ اليَمانيِّ دالِجٌ

وَهَل أَنا في الرَكبِ اليَمانيِّ دالِجٌ

وَأَيدي المَطايا بِالرِجالِ تَميلُ

وَأَيدي المَطايا بِالرِجالِ تَميلُ

And shall I travel by night with the Yemeni caravan,

And shall I travel by night with the Yemeni caravan,

while the forelegs of the riding-camels sway beneath their saddles?

As the mounts’ forelegs sway with their riders?

وَفي سَرَعانِ الريحِ لي لَو عَلِمتُما

وَفي سَرَعانِ الريحِ لي لَو عَلِمتُما

شِفاءٌ وَلَو أَنَّ النَسيمَ عَليلُ

شِفاءٌ وَلَو أَنَّ النَسيمَ عَليلُ

In the wind’s swift rush, if only you both knew, there is

And in the wind’s first gusts, if you two only knew, I have

a cure for me, though the very breeze be ailing.

A cure, even if the breeze itself is ailing.

وَفي ذَلِكَ السَربِ الَّذي تَرَيانِهِ

وَفي ذَلِكَ السَربِ الَّذي تَرَيانِهِ

أَحَمُّ غَضيضُ الناظِرَينِ كَحيلُ

أَحَمُّ غَضيضُ الناظِرَينِ كَحيلُ

And in that gazelle herd which you two behold

And in that herd which you two see

is a dark gazelle, downcast of gaze and naturally kohled—

Is a dusky gazelle, with lowered, kohl-dark eyes.

شَهيُّ اللَمى عاطٍ إِلى الرَكبِ جيدَهُ

شَهيُّ اللَمى عاطٍ إِلى الرَكبِ جيدَهُ

خَتولٌ لِأَيدي القانِصينَ مَطولُ

خَتولٌ لِأَيدي القانِصينَ مَطولُ

sweet-lipped, its neck stretched high toward the caravan,

With alluring dusky lips, he stretches his neck toward the caravan,

elusive to the hunters’ hands, forever keeping them waiting.

Wily, forever eluding the hunters’ hands.

وَكَم فيهِ مِن خَوِّ اللَثاثِ كَأَنَّما

وَكَم فيهِ مِن خَوِّ اللَثاثِ كَأَنَّما

جَرى ضَرَبٌ ما بَينَها وَشَمولُ

جَرى ضَرَبٌ ما بَينَها وَشَمولُ

How many a full-fleshed maiden is among them, as though

And how many in it are dark-gummed, as though

white honey and wine flowed within her mouth.

Thick white honey and wine flowed between their gums.

تَجَلَّلنَ بِالرَيطِ اليَماني كَأَنَّما

تَجَلَّلنَ بِالرَيطِ اليَماني كَأَنَّما

ضَمَمنَ غُصوناً مَسَّهُنَّ ذُبولُ

ضَمَمنَ غُصوناً مَسَّهُنَّ ذُبولُ

They have wrapped themselves in Yemeni striped mantles, as though

They wrapped themselves in Yemeni cloths, as though

they were bundled boughs touched by a hint of withering.

They enfolded branches touched by wilting.

عَلِقناكَ يا ظَبيَ الصَريمِ طَماعَةً

عَلِقناكَ يا ظَبيَ الصَريمِ طَماعَةً

أَعِندَكَ مِن نَيلٍ لَنا فَتُنيلُ

أَعِندَكَ مِن نَيلٍ لَنا فَتُنيلُ

We have become ensnared by you, gazelle of al-Ṣarīm, in hope:

We loved you, gazelle of the thicket, in eager hope:

Have you some favor for us—will you then bestow it?

Have you a favor for us, that you might bestow it?

أَنِل نائِلاً أَو لا تُثَنِّ بِنَظرَةٍ

أَنِل نائِلاً أَو لا تُثَنِّ بِنَظرَةٍ

فَإِنِّيَ بِالأولى الغَداةَ قَتيلُ

فَإِنِّيَ بِالأولى الغَداةَ قَتيلُ

Bestow a boon—or do not repeat your glance;

Bestow a favor, or do not repeat your glance,

for by the first glance, this morning, I am slain.

For this morning your first glance has slain me.

وَإِنّي إِذا اِصطَكَّت رِقابُ مَطيُّكُم

وَإِنّي إِذا اِصطَكَّت رِقابُ مَطيُّكُم

وَثَوَّرَ حادٍ بِالرِفاقِ عَجولُ

وَثَوَّرَ حادٍ بِالرِفاقِ عَجولُ

When the necks of your riding-camels jostle together

And I, when your mounts’ necks jostle together,

and a hurried camel-driver urges the caravan onward,

And a hasty camel-driver spurs the travelers on,

أُخالِفُ بَينَ الراحَتَينِ عَلى الحَشا

أُخالِفُ بَينَ الراحَتَينِ عَلى الحَشا

وَأَنظُرُ أَنّي مُلتَمٍ فَأَميلُ

وَأَنظُرُ أَنّي مُلتَمٍ فَأَميلُ

I lay one palm after the other upon my breast,

Cross my palms over my breast,

see myself struck senseless, and sway.

And look for somewhere to hide, then turn that way.

أَحِنُّ وَتُجريني عَلى الشوقِ قَسوَةٌ

أَحِنُّ وَتُجريني عَلى الشوقِ قَسوَةٌ

أَلا غالَ ما بَيني وَبَينَكَ غولُ

أَلا غالَ ما بَيني وَبَينَكَ غولُ

I yearn, though cruelty drives me onward against my longing.

I yearn, and cruelty drives me onward in longing—

Ah, may no ghoul ravage the bond between you and me!

Ah, may a ghoul devour what lies between me and you!

وَما ذادَني ذِكرُ الأَحِبَّةِ عَن كَرىً

وَما ذادَني ذِكرُ الأَحِبَّةِ عَن كَرىً

وَلَكِنَّ لَيلي بِالعِراقِ طَويلُ

وَلَكِنَّ لَيلي بِالعِراقِ طَويلُ

It is not remembrance of the beloved that has kept me from sleep;

And remembrance of loved ones has not driven me from sleep,

it is only that my night in Iraq is long.

But my night in Iraq is long.