أترى أرضى أهيل الأجراع

أترى أرضى أهيل الأجراع

ما جرى من بينهم من أدمعي

ما جرى من بينهم من أدمعي

Do you think the dear folk of al-Ajraʿ were pleased

Do I see my beloved people of al-Ajra'

by the tears I shed at parting from them,

What has flowed between them of my tears

فاروى برضاهم غلّتى

فاروى برضاهم غلّتى

وأقوى برجاهم طمعي

وأقوى برجاهم طمعي

so I might quench my burning thirst with their favor

So I may quench my passion with their consent

and strengthen my longing with hope in them?

And strengthen my hopes with their inclination

يا فروع البان بالله متى

يا فروع البان بالله متى

رفعت أضعانهم من لعلع

رفعت أضعانهم من لعلع

O branches of the ben tree, by God, when

O branches of the acacia, when

were their litters lifted away from Laʿlaʿ?

Will you lift up those bent down by hardship?

ومتى عهدك بالقلب الذي

ومتى عهدك بالقلب الذي

سار في اثر الخليط المزمع

سار في اثر الخليط المزمع

And when did you last encounter the heart that

And when did you know a heart that

went in the wake of the company resolved to depart?

Went after a fleeting mirage?

ضاع في آثارهم قلبي فلا

ضاع في آثارهم قلبي فلا

معهم قلبي ولا قلبي معي

معهم قلبي ولا قلبي معي

My heart was lost in their tracks; neither

My heart is lost in their tracks so neither

is my heart with them, nor is my heart with me.

Is my heart with them nor is it with me

عاذلي عذلك من يسمعه

عاذلي عذلك من يسمعه

ولئن كنت سميعا من يعى

ولئن كنت سميعا من يعى

My reproacher, who listens to your reproach?

Reproach me, reproach me, whoever hears this

And even if you are heard, who takes heed?

And if you are hearing, who will understand?

ملأوا قلبي وعينيّ فما

ملأوا قلبي وعينيّ فما

لسواهم فيهما من موضع

لسواهم فيهما من موضع

They filled my heart and both my eyes, leaving no

They have filled my heart and my eyes so there is

room in either for anyone else.

No room in them for anyone but them

وأحاديثهم ما تركت

وأحاديثهم ما تركت

لسواهم موضعا فى مسمعى

لسواهم موضعا فى مسمعى

And their talk has left no

And their conversation has left

room in my hearing for anyone else.

No room for others in my hearing

بى هوى يعجز رضوى حمل ما

بى هوى يعجز رضوى حمل ما

حملت منه حنايا أضلعي

حملت منه حنايا أضلعي

Within me is a passion—Mount Radwa cannot bear what

In me is a passion that the pleasure of my consent cannot bear

the arches of my ribs have borne of it—

What it has borne of sighs from my ribs

وغرام شهو الواشى به

وغرام شهو الواشى به

قبل دعواى وغيري يدعي

قبل دعواى وغيري يدعي

and an ardent love to which the talebearer bore witness

And a love that has tempted the enchanted one

before my avowal, while others lay claim.

Before my claim and others claim