أَيا أَخَوَىَّ بالمَدينَةِ أَشرِفا

أَيا أَخَوَىَّ بالمَدينَةِ أَشرِفا

بِىَ الصَّمدَ أَنظُر نَظرَةً هَل أَرى نَجدَا

بِىَ الصَّمدَ أَنظُر نَظرَةً هَل أَرى نَجدَا

O my two brothers in Medina, climb

O my brother in the city, so eminent

with me to the high ground; let me take a look—can I see Najd?

I swear by the Eternal, look and see if I can see deliverance

فَما زادَنِى الإشرافُ إِلاّ صَبابَةً

فَما زادَنِى الإشرافُ إِلاّ صَبابَةً

وَلا ازدَدتُ إِلاّ عَن مَعارفِها بُعدَا

وَلا ازدَدتُ إِلاّ عَن مَعارفِها بُعدَا

So looking from the height only increased my longing,

Yet eminence increased me in nothing but foolishness

And I grew only farther from its familiar landmarks.

And I gained nothing but estrangement from its elite

فَإِنَّ بِنَجدٍ مَن بَرانِىَ حُبُّهُ

فَإِنَّ بِنَجدٍ مَن بَرانِىَ حُبُّهُ

فَلَم يَتَّرِك مِنِّى عِظَاماً ولا جِلدَا

فَلَم يَتَّرِك مِنِّى عِظَاماً ولا جِلدَا

For in Najd dwells one whose love has worn me away,

For in Najd is one whose love sustained me

So it has left me neither bones nor skin.

He left me neither bone nor skin

فَقالَ المَدِينيَّانِ أَنتَ مُكَلَّفٌ

فَقالَ المَدِينيَّانِ أَنتَ مُكَلَّفٌ

بِداعِي الهَوى لا تَستَطِيعُ لَهُ رَدَّا

بِداعِي الهَوى لا تَستَطِيعُ لَهُ رَدَّا

Then the two men of Medina said, "You are enthralled

So said the townsmen: “You are possessed

by love's summons; you cannot resist it."

By the caller of passion, you cannot reject it.”