أَصبَحَ قَلبي مِن سُلَيمى مُقصدا

أَصبَحَ قَلبي مِن سُلَيمى مُقصدا

إِن خَطأ مِنها وإِن تعمّدا

إِن خَطأ مِنها وإِن تعمّدا

My heart has become Sulayma’s target,

My heart has been mortally struck by Sulaymā,

whether a shot from her goes wide or is deliberately aimed.

Whether by mistake on her part or deliberately.

فَحَمِّلِ الهمَّ كِلازاً جَلعدا

فَحَمِّلِ الهمَّ كِلازاً جَلعدا

تَرى العُليفيَّ عَليها موكَدا

تَرى العُليفيَّ عَليها موكَدا

So care set me astride a thickset, rugged she-camel;

So load your grief onto a powerful, massive she-camel.

you could see the ʿUlayfī saddle fastened firmly upon her,

You see the ʿUlayfī saddle firmly secured upon her,

وَبينَ نسعيه خدبّاً مُلبِدا

وَبينَ نسعيه خدبّاً مُلبِدا

إِذا السَّرابُ بِالفَلاةِ اطَّردا

إِذا السَّرابُ بِالفَلاةِ اطَّردا

and between its two girths a great, matted hump.

And between its two girths a huge, matted-haired beast,

When the mirage streamed across the open waste,

When the mirage runs on across the wilderness,

وَنَجدَ الماءُ الَّذي تَورَّدا

وَنَجدَ الماءُ الَّذي تَورَّدا

تَورُّدَ السِّيدِ أَرادَ المَرصَدا

تَورُّدَ السِّيدِ أَرادَ المَرصَدا

the mount found the water it had ridden forth to drink,

And the water it had drunk streams out as sweat,

approaching it like a wolf intent upon an ambush,

Having come to drink like a wolf seeking a place to lie in wait.

حَتى أَرانا رَبُّنا مُحمّدا

حَتى أَرانا رَبُّنا مُحمّدا

يَتلو مِنَ اللَّهِ كِتاباً مُرشِدا

يَتلو مِنَ اللَّهِ كِتاباً مُرشِدا

until our Lord brought Muhammad before our eyes,

Until our Lord showed us Muḥammad,

reciting from God a Scripture that guides.

Reciting a guiding book from God.

فَلَم نُكَذِّب وَخَرَرنا سُجَّدا

فَلَم نُكَذِّب وَخَرَرنا سُجَّدا

نُعطي الزَّكاةَ وَنُقيمُ المَسجِدا

نُعطي الزَّكاةَ وَنُقيمُ المَسجِدا

We did not deny it, but fell down in prostration,

So we did not disbelieve, and fell down prostrate,

giving the alms-tax and maintaining the mosque.

We give the obligatory alms and establish the mosque.