أَتاني طَيفُ عَبلَةَ في المَنامِ

أَتاني طَيفُ عَبلَةَ في المَنامِ

فَقَبَّلَني ثَلاثاً في اللَثامِ

فَقَبَّلَني ثَلاثاً في اللَثامِ

Abla's apparition came to me in a dream,

The phantom of Abula came to me in a dream

then kissed me three times through the veil,

She kissed me thrice through her veil

وَوَدَّعَني فَأَودَعَني لَهيباً

وَوَدَّعَني فَأَودَعَني لَهيباً

أُسَتِّرُهُ وَيَشعُلُ في عِظامي

أُسَتِّرُهُ وَيَشعُلُ في عِظامي

and bade me farewell, then left a blaze within me.

And bid me farewell, leaving behind a blaze

I conceal it, yet it burns within my bones.

I conceal, yet it rages within my bones

وَلَولا أَنَّني أَخلو بِنَفسي

وَلَولا أَنَّني أَخلو بِنَفسي

وَأُطفِئُ بِالدُموعِ جَوى غَرامي

وَأُطفِئُ بِالدُموعِ جَوى غَرامي

And were it not that I withdraw into solitude

Were it not that I seclude myself

and quench with tears the burning anguish of my passion,

And quench with tears ardour’s ember

لَمُتُ أَسىً وَكَم أَشكو لِأَنّي

لَمُتُ أَسىً وَكَم أَشكو لِأَنّي

أَغارُ عَلَيكِ يا بَدرَ التَمامِ

أَغارُ عَلَيكِ يا بَدرَ التَمامِ

I would have died of grief; how much I lament, for I

I would have died of sorrow. How I complain that

am jealous over you, O moon in all its fullness.

I envy you, O full moon of perfection

أَيا اِبنَةَ مالِكٍ كَيفَ التَسَلّي

أَيا اِبنَةَ مالِكٍ كَيفَ التَسَلّي

وَعَهدُ هَواكِ مِن عَهدِ الفِطامِ

وَعَهدُ هَواكِ مِن عَهدِ الفِطامِ

O daughter of Malik, how can I find solace,

O daughter of Malik, how do I console myself

when my love for you dates from the time of weaning?

When your love dates back to my infancy?

وَكَيفَ أَرومُ مِنكِ القُربَ يَوماً

وَكَيفَ أَرومُ مِنكِ القُربَ يَوماً

وَحَولَ خِباكِ آسادُ الأَجامِ

وَحَولَ خِباكِ آسادُ الأَجامِ

And how can I seek closeness to you one day,

How can I ever draw near you

when lions of the thickets surround your tent?

When lions encircle your abode?

وَحَقِّ هَواكِ لا داوَيتُ قَلبي

وَحَقِّ هَواكِ لا داوَيتُ قَلبي

بِغَيرِ الصَبرِ يا بِنتَ الكِرامِ

بِغَيرِ الصَبرِ يا بِنتَ الكِرامِ

By the sanctity of my love for you, I shall not heal my heart

By your love! I heal not my heart

with anything but patience, O daughter of the noble,

Except with patience, O daughter of nobles

إِلى أَن أَرتَقي دَرَجَ المَعالي

إِلى أَن أَرتَقي دَرَجَ المَعالي

بِطَعنِ الرُمحِ أَو ضَربِ الحُسامِ

بِطَعنِ الرُمحِ أَو ضَربِ الحُسامِ

until I ascend the steps to glory,

Until I scale the heights of glory

by the spear's thrust or the keen sword's stroke.

By spear’s stab or sword’s strike

أَنا العَبدُ الَّذي خُبِّرتِ عَنهُ

أَنا العَبدُ الَّذي خُبِّرتِ عَنهُ

رَعَيتُ جِمالَ قَومي مِن فِطامي

رَعَيتُ جِمالَ قَومي مِن فِطامي

I am the slave of whom you have been told;

I am the slave you have heard of

I tended my people's camels from the time I was weaned.

I shepherded the beauty of my people since infancy

أَروحُ مِنَ الصَباحِ إِلى مَغيبٍ

أَروحُ مِنَ الصَباحِ إِلى مَغيبٍ

وَأَرقُدُ بَينَ أَطنابِ الخِيامِ

وَأَرقُدُ بَينَ أَطنابِ الخِيامِ

I go about from morning until sunset,

I wander from morn till sunset

and sleep among the tents' guy ropes.

And slumber amidst the tent’s folds

أَذِلُّ لِعَبلَةٍ مِن فَرطِ وَجدي

أَذِلُّ لِعَبلَةٍ مِن فَرطِ وَجدي

وَأَجعَلُها مِنَ الدُنيا اِهتِمامي

وَأَجعَلُها مِنَ الدُنيا اِهتِمامي

I humble myself before Abla from the intensity of my longing,

I humble myself before Abula, so enraptured

and make her, of all the world, my concern.

Making her the sum of my world

وَأَمتَثِلُ الأَوامِرَ مِن أَبيها

وَأَمتَثِلُ الأَوامِرَ مِن أَبيها

وَقَد مَلَكَ الهَوى مِنّي زِمامي

وَقَد مَلَكَ الهَوى مِنّي زِمامي

And I obey the commands of her father,

And I obey the orders of her father

and love has indeed taken my reins from me.

For love reigns over me, holding my reins

رَضيتُ بِحُبِّها طَوعاً وَكَرهاً

رَضيتُ بِحُبِّها طَوعاً وَكَرهاً

فَهَل أَحظى بِها قَبلَ الحِمامِ

فَهَل أَحظى بِها قَبلَ الحِمامِ

I have consented to loving her, willingly and unwillingly;

I accept her love, willingly or not

so shall I be blessed with her before death?

Will I have her before death?

وَإِن عابَت سَوادي فَهوَ فَخري

وَإِن عابَت سَوادي فَهوَ فَخري

لِأَنّي فارِسٌ مِن نَسلِ حامِ

لِأَنّي فارِسٌ مِن نَسلِ حامِ

And if she faults my blackness, it is my pride,

If she disdains my complexion, it is my pride

for I am a horseman descended from Ham.

For I am a knight of Ham’s lineage

وَلي قَلبٌ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الرَواسي

وَلي قَلبٌ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الرَواسي

وَذِكري مِثلُ عَرفِ المِسكِ نامي

وَذِكري مِثلُ عَرفِ المِسكِ نامي

And I have a heart stronger than the immovable mountains,

In my heart stronger than bastions

and my renown spreads like the fragrance of musk.

My fame like musk’s scent that slumbers

وَمِن عَجَبي أَصيدُ الأُسدَ قَهراً

وَمِن عَجَبي أَصيدُ الأُسدَ قَهراً

وَأَفتَرِسُ الضَواري كَالهَوامِ

وَأَفتَرِسُ الضَواري كَالهَوامِ

And it amazes me that I capture lions by force,

Of my wonders, I subdue lions by might

and prey upon fierce beasts as upon vermin,

And prey on beasts of prey like eagles

وَتَقنُصُني ظِبا السَعدِي وَتَسطو

وَتَقنُصُني ظِبا السَعدِي وَتَسطو

عَلَيَّ مَها الشَرَبَّةِ وَالخُزامِ

عَلَيَّ مَها الشَرَبَّةِ وَالخُزامِ

yet the gazelles of al-Sa'di capture me, and there charge

Yet Abula’s gazelle entraps me and transcends

upon me the oryxes of al-Sharabba and al-Khuzam.

Me, outdoing my ardour and perfection

لَعَمرُ أَبيكَ لا أَسلو هَواها

لَعَمرُ أَبيكَ لا أَسلو هَواها

وَلَو طَحَنَت مَحَبَّتُها عِظامي

وَلَو طَحَنَت مَحَبَّتُها عِظامي

By your father's life, I shall never forget my love for her,

By your father! I cannot forget her love

even if loving her should grind my bones.

Even if it grinds my bones to dust

عَلَيكِ أَيا عُبَيلَةُ كُلَّ يَومٍ

عَلَيكِ أَيا عُبَيلَةُ كُلَّ يَومٍ

سَلامٌ في سَلامٍ في سَلامِ

سَلامٌ في سَلامٍ في سَلامِ

Upon you, O Ubayla, every day,

Upon you O Ubayla each day

be peace within peace within peace.

Greetings, in peace, in peace