وظِباً كأمثالِ العذارى سُنَّحٍ

وظِباً كأمثالِ العذارى سُنَّحٍ

تأوي إلى حَزنِ اللّوَى وسُهُوبِهِ

تأوي إلى حَزنِ اللّوَى وسُهُوبِهِ

And gazelles like maidens, crossing from left to right,

Shy as virgins, they take refuge in the sorrow of passion and its raging,

seek shelter in al-Liwā’s rugged ground and its plains.

I surprised her, weak and pliant, between the valley and its hill.

فاجأتُها وهناً وهُنَّ رواتعٌ

فاجأتُها وهناً وهُنَّ رواتعٌ

ما بينَ واديهِ وبينَ كَثيبهِ

ما بينَ واديهِ وبينَ كَثيبهِ

I surprised them late at night, while they grazed freely,

The meadow has grown old, its plants are withered,

between its valley and its sand dune.

Its youth cloaked in white hair.

والرَّوضُ كَهلٌ قد تصوَّحَ نبتُه

والرَّوضُ كَهلٌ قد تصوَّحَ نبتُه

فشبابُهُ مُتلفّعٌ بمشيبهِ

فشبابُهُ مُتلفّعٌ بمشيبهِ

And the meadow was middle-aged, its plants already withered;

The clouds weep with mercy for their loved ones,

so its youth was swathed in its gray hair.

And lightning laughs with joy at its flash.

تبكي لذاويهِ الغمامةُ رحمةً

تبكي لذاويهِ الغمامةُ رحمةً

والبرقُ يضحكُ فرحةً بقشيبهِ

والبرقُ يضحكُ فرحةً بقشيبهِ

The cloud weeps in pity for its withered growth,

With the clamor of thunder and heavy rain,

and lightning laughs in joy at its fresh growth.

The seer finds peace in its turmoil.

بمسبقٍ صخبِ الجلاجلِ أجدلٍ

بمسبقٍ صخبِ الجلاجلِ أجدلٍ

يرتاحُ رائيهِ الى تقليبهِ

يرتاحُ رائيهِ الى تقليبهِ

With a swift falcon whose bells rang loudly,

Her beauty and excellence of character

whose beholder delights in turning it about.

Make description of her unnecessary, and trial.

تغني شمائله وحسنُ صفاتهِ

تغني شمائله وحسنُ صفاتهِ

عن نَعتِ مُطرِيهِ وعن تجريبهِ

عن نَعتِ مُطرِيهِ وعن تجريبهِ

Its qualities and the beauty of its traits leave no need

The slender waisted one has become hostile in his running away

for its praiser's description or for putting it to the test.

So the death of the gazelles was in their leaping.

ومخصرُ الخَصرِ اغتدى في عَدوِهِ

ومخصرُ الخَصرِ اغتدى في عَدوِهِ

نَزِقاً فحتفُ ظبائِه بوثوبهِ

نَزِقاً فحتفُ ظبائِه بوثوبهِ

And the slender-waisted one set out early, running

One of shrewdness and insight trained him

impetuously: its pounce meant death to its gazelles.

And excelled in his training.

عاناهُ في تهذيبهِ ذو فِطنةٍ

عاناهُ في تهذيبهِ ذو فِطنةٍ

وبصارةٍ فأجادَ في تهذيبهِ

وبصارةٍ فأجادَ في تهذيبهِ

One endowed with discernment took pains to train it,

So I hunted a gazelle whose heart to me

and with insight, he trained it admirably.

Was sweeter than wine and its fragrance,

فقنصتُ منها ظبيةً كانت الى

فقنصتُ منها ظبيةً كانت الى

قلبي ألذَّ من المُدامِ وطيبهِ

قلبي ألذَّ من المُدامِ وطيبهِ

So I caught among them a gazelle that was, to

Or a kiss from one who showed me his cheek,

my heart, sweeter than wine and its fragrance,

I took it from him against his will.

أو قبلةٍ ممن براني صدهُ

أو قبلةٍ ممن براني صدهُ

خالستُها منه برغمِ رقيبهِ

خالستُها منه برغمِ رقيبهِ

or a kiss from one whose rejection wore me away,

which I stole from him despite his watcher.