هَل عَرَفتَ الدِيارَ عَن أَحقابِ

هَل عَرَفتَ الدِيارَ عَن أَحقابِ

دارِساً آيُها كَخَطِّ الكِتابِ

دارِساً آيُها كَخَطِّ الكِتابِ

Have you recognized the dwellings after ages,

Have you known the dwellings from past glories,

their traces faded, like the script of a book?

Examining them, O you like scripture's lines?

وَكَأَنّي لَمّا عَرَفتُ دِيارَ ال

وَكَأَنّي لَمّا عَرَفتُ دِيارَ ال

حَيِّ بِالسَفحِ عَن يَمينِ الحُبابِ

حَيِّ بِالسَفحِ عَن يَمينِ الحُبابِ

And I seemed, when I recognized the dwellings of the

It was as though when I knew the abodes of Layl

tribe at the mountain’s foot, to the right of al-Hubab,

At the foothills, to the right of the sandy dunes,

يَسَرٌ حارَضَ الرِبابَةَ حَتّى

يَسَرٌ حارَضَ الرِبابَةَ حَتّى

راحَ قَصراً وَضيمَ في الأَندابِ

راحَ قَصراً وَضيمَ في الأَندابِ

a gambler who tried his luck with the gaming arrows until

Delight made music till it reached a palace and a humble abode in ruins.

he went away defeated and was wronged in the wagers.

Grieving for you, O son of Sa’d, when old age

جَزَعاً مِنكَ يَاِبنَ سَعدٍ وَقَد أَخ

جَزَعاً مِنكَ يَاِبنَ سَعدٍ وَقَد أَخ

لَقَ مِنكَ المَشيبُ ثَوبَ الشَبابِ

لَقَ مِنكَ المَشيبُ ثَوبَ الشَبابِ

In anguish over you, O son of Sa'd—already worn

Has donned the garb of youth after you.

out by gray hair was your robe of youth.