عَلِّلونا بِذِكْرِ ساداتِ سَلْعٍ

عَلِّلونا بِذِكْرِ ساداتِ سَلْعٍ

نحنُ قومٌ نَطيبُ بالتَّعَليلِ

نحنُ قومٌ نَطيبُ بالتَّعَليلِ

Soothe us with mention of the masters of Salʿ;

Grant us the balm of mentioning chief men,

we are a people gladdened by consolation.

We're folk who delight in such reasoning.

ومَثاني أخْبارِهمْ كَرِّروها

ومَثاني أخْبارِهمْ كَرِّروها

فَبِأخْبارهِمْ دَواءُ العَليلِ

فَبِأخْبارهِمْ دَواءُ العَليلِ

And repeat the oft-told accounts of them;

Repeat their tales, more and more narrate them,

for in their stories lies a cure for the ailing.

In their tales lies healing for him ailing.

وامْزِجوا ماءَنا بِطيبِ ثَناهُمْ

وامْزِجوا ماءَنا بِطيبِ ثَناهُمْ

فهوَ أشْهى من نَكْهَةِ الزَّنْجَبيلِ

فهوَ أشْهى من نَكْهَةِ الزَّنْجَبيلِ

And mix our water with the fragrance of their praise;

Mix our water with the scent of praising them,

for it is more delectable than the flavor of ginger.

Far sweeter thus than ginger's pleasant smell.

ما أُحَيْلى خَمْرَ التَّحَدُّثِ فيهمْ

ما أُحَيْلى خَمْرَ التَّحَدُّثِ فيهمْ

وعَليهِمْ يا حُسْنَ تلكَ النُّقولِ

وعَليهِمْ يا حُسْنَ تلكَ النُّقولِ

How exquisitely sweet the wine of speaking of them

How mellow is discourse's wine about them!

and about them—oh, how lovely those accounts!

On them, O beauty, descend such praises fair.

ألِفَتْ ذِكْرَهُمْ قُلوبٌ زَواها

ألِفَتْ ذِكْرَهُمْ قُلوبٌ زَواها

عن سِواهُمْ عِبْءُ الغَرامِ الثَّقيلِ

عن سِواهُمْ عِبْءُ الغَرامِ الثَّقيلِ

Hearts have grown accustomed to remembering them, turned away

Hearts forget all else, enamored of their mention,

from all others by the heavy burden of ardent love.

The burden of passion for them is weighty and real.

رَقْرِقِ الكأسَ يا حُوَيْدِ المَطايا

رَقْرِقِ الكأسَ يا حُوَيْدِ المَطايا

بأناشيدِهمْ وطِرْ بالقُفولِ

بأناشيدِهمْ وطِرْ بالقُفولِ

Set the cup rippling, O dear driver of the mounts,

Clink the goblet, O slow pacers of mounts,

with their songs, and fly on the return journey.

With their songs, hymns, and then get set to move on.

وإذا العيسُ حَطَّتِ الحِمْلَ آناً

وإذا العيسُ حَطَّتِ الحِمْلَ آناً

فاحْدُها باسْمهِمْ وقد قُلتَ شيلي

فاحْدُها باسْمهِمْ وقد قُلتَ شيلي

And when the pale camels set down the load for a moment,

And when the camel train halts to rest at times,

then sing them onward in their name, having said, 'Lift it!'

Name them, and say "Offload it," when told to shoulder.

تَرْكُهُمْ والهُيامُ فيهِمْ وُلوهاً

تَرْكُهُمْ والهُيامُ فيهِمْ وُلوهاً

سَبَبُ الجُرْحِ عِلَّةُ التَّعْديلِ

سَبَبُ الجُرْحِ عِلَّةُ التَّعْديلِ

Forsaking them, and loving them with mad devotion—

To leave them, though passionate love pulls to stay,

the cause of censure, the grounds for commendation.

Is why hearts get pierced, and what cures them.

لَيتَ شعري ولَيْتَ بالجائِزِ المُمْ

لَيتَ شعري ولَيْتَ بالجائِزِ المُمْ

كِنِ تأتي حيناً وبالمُسْتَحيلِ

كِنِ تأتي حيناً وبالمُسْتَحيلِ

Would that I knew! And 'would that,' for what is feasible and possible,

Would that-if not real- fantasies might allow,

is sometimes used—and for the impossible.

That I join dear ones in a true gathering's place.

هلْ أراني معَ الأحبَّةِ في مَقْ

هلْ أراني معَ الأحبَّةِ في مَقْ

عَدِ صِدْقٍ يوماً ويُشْفى غَليلي

عَدِ صِدْقٍ يوماً ويُشْفى غَليلي

Will I see myself with the beloved in a seat

And healing my anguished heart and grieving soul,

of truth one day, and will my burning thirst be quenched?

God can do all things, in Him is my hope.

وعلى اللهِ كُلُّ شيءٍ يَسيرٌ

وعلى اللهِ كُلُّ شيءٍ يَسيرٌ

حَسبِيَ اللهُ خالقي وَوكيلي

حَسبِيَ اللهُ خالقي وَوكيلي

And for God everything is easy.

God suffices me—my Creator and my Trustee.