قِفى يا أُمَيمَ القَلبِ نَقرَأ تَحِيَّةً

قِفى يا أُمَيمَ القَلبِ نَقرَأ تَحِيَّةً

وَنَقضِ الهَوَى ثُمَّ افعَلِى ما بَدالَكِ

وَنَقضِ الهَوَى ثُمَّ افعَلِى ما بَدالَكِ

Pause, O Umaym of my heart; let us exchange a greeting,

Stop, O dove of my heart, and let us exchange greetings

And satisfy our longing; then do whatever you wish.

And break the passion, then do as you wish

فَلَو قُلتِ طَأ فِى النّارِ أَعلَمُ أَنَّهُ

فَلَو قُلتِ طَأ فِى النّارِ أَعلَمُ أَنَّهُ

هَوًى مِنكِ أَو مُدنٍ لَنا مِن وِصالِكِ

هَوًى مِنكِ أَو مُدنٍ لَنا مِن وِصالِكِ

For if you said, 'Step into the fire,' and I knew it was

For if you said, "Step into fire", I know

A wish of yours, or something bringing us nearer to union with you,

It would be a passion from you or a guide to our union

لَقَدَّمتُ رِجلي نَحوَها فَوَطِئتُها

لَقَدَّمتُ رِجلي نَحوَها فَوَطِئتُها

هُدَيَّاكِ لِي أَو هَفوَةً مِن ضَلالِكِ

هُدَيَّاكِ لِي أَو هَفوَةً مِن ضَلالِكِ

I would advance my foot toward it and tread upon it,

I would step towards it and tread on it

Whether it were your guidance for me or a lapse born of your straying.

As your gift to me or a slip due to your absence

سَلىِ البانضةَ العَليا مِنَ الأَبطَحِ الّذِى

سَلىِ البانضةَ العَليا مِنَ الأَبطَحِ الّذِى

بِهِ البانُ هَل حَيَّيتُ أَطلالَ دارِكِ

بِهِ البانُ هَل حَيَّيتُ أَطلالَ دارِكِ

Ask the lofty bān tree in the gravelly valley where

I passed by the high ruins in the plain where

The bān trees stand, whether I greeted the ruins of your home,

The past dwellings are - did I greet your ruined abode?

وَهَل قُمتُ فِى أَظلالِهِنَّ عَشِيَّةً

وَهَل قُمتُ فِى أَظلالِهِنَّ عَشِيَّةً

مَقامَ أَخِى البأساءِ وَاختَرتُ ذلِكِ

مَقامَ أَخِى البأساءِ وَاختَرتُ ذلِكِ

And whether I stood in their shade one evening,

And did I stand among their shadows one evening

In the stance of one afflicted with misery—and I chose that.

In place of my departed brother, and I chose that

وَهَل سَفَحَت عَيناىَ فِى الدّارِ غُدوَةً

وَهَل سَفَحَت عَيناىَ فِى الدّارِ غُدوَةً

بِداراً كًسَحِّ اللُّؤلؤِ المُتَهالِكِ

بِداراً كًسَحِّ اللُّؤلؤِ المُتَهالِكِ

And whether my eyes shed tears at the dwelling one morning,

And did my eyes overflow with tears in the house at dawn

In haste, like a cascade of pearls tumbling down.

For a house whose splendor dazzled like dissolving pearls

لِيَهنِكِ إِمسَاكِى بِكَفِّى عَلَى الحَشَا

لِيَهنِكِ إِمسَاكِى بِكَفِّى عَلَى الحَشَا

وَرَقراقُ عَينِى خَشيَةً مِن زِيالِكِ

وَرَقراقُ عَينِى خَشيَةً مِن زِيالِكِ

May you delight in my pressing my palm against my breast,

So you would pity my holding back my tears

And in my eye's shimmering tears, for fear of your departure.

And the flowing of my eyes, fearing your departure

فَإِنِّى لأَستَحفِيكِ يا بِنتَ مالِكِ

فَإِنِّى لأَستَحفِيكِ يا بِنتَ مالِكِ

عَنَ الشَّىءِ ما بِى غَيرُ طِيبِ كَلامِكِ

عَنَ الشَّىءِ ما بِى غَيرُ طِيبِ كَلامِكِ

For I question you closely, O daughter of Malik,

For I seek your protection, O daughter of Malik

About something, seeking only the sweetness of your speech.

Against anything in me but good words for you

وإِنِّى لأَستَغشِى وَما بِيَ نَعسَةٌ

وإِنِّى لأَستَغشِى وَما بِيَ نَعسَةٌ

وَما ذاك إِلاّ أَن يُلِمَّ خَيالُكِ

وَما ذاك إِلاّ أَن يُلِمَّ خَيالُكِ

And I cover myself, though I feel no drowsiness,

And I become drowsy yet I am not sleepy

Only so that your image may visit me.

Except that your imagination overwhelms me

وَإِنِّى لأَستَسقِى السَّحابَ لأَرضِكُم

وَإِنِّى لأَستَسقِى السَّحابَ لأَرضِكُم

وَيُعجِبُنِى مَا أَحسَنَ اللهُ حالَكِ

وَيُعجِبُنِى مَا أَحسَنَ اللهُ حالَكِ

And I ask the clouds for rain upon your land,

And I seek rain from the clouds for your land

And delight in how God has made your condition fair.

And I love what God has made good for you

أُحِبُّ الصَّبا إِن كُنتِ مِن قِبَلِ الصَّبا

أُحِبُّ الصَّبا إِن كُنتِ مِن قِبَلِ الصَّبا

وَنَجماً مُضِيَّاً طالِعَا مِن حِيالِكِ

وَنَجماً مُضِيَّاً طالِعَا مِن حِيالِكِ

I love the east wind if you are where it comes from,

I love the breeze if you are in the direction of the breeze

And a bright star rising from your direction.

And a bright star rising in your direction

سَأَلتُكِ هَل يَأتِيكِ فِى كُلِّ مَضجَعِ

سَأَلتُكِ هَل يَأتِيكِ فِى كُلِّ مَضجَعِ

خَيالِى كَما يَسرِى إِلىَّ خَيالُكِ

خَيالِى كَما يَسرِى إِلىَّ خَيالُكِ

I asked you: does there come to you in every resting-place

I asked you, does my imagination come to you

My image, as your image travels by night to me?

In every bed as your imagination comes to me?

وَهَل سَفحَت عَينَاكِ مِن نَأىِ دَارِنا

وَهَل سَفحَت عَينَاكِ مِن نَأىِ دَارِنا

كَما سَفَحَت عَيناىَ مِن نَأيِ دارِكِ

كَما سَفَحَت عَيناىَ مِن نَأيِ دارِكِ

And have your eyes shed tears because our home is far away,

And have your eyes overflowed from the remoteness of our house

As mine have shed tears because your home is far away?

As my eyes overflowed from the remoteness of your house?

وَهَل شَفَّكُم يَومَ ارتَحلنا زِيالُنا

وَهَل شَفَّكُم يَومَ ارتَحلنا زِيالُنا

كَما شَفَّني يَومَ ارتَحَلتُم زِيالُكِ

كَما شَفَّني يَومَ ارتَحَلتُم زِيالُكِ

And did our parting wear you down the day we departed,

And did our departure make you desolate

As parting from you wore me down the day you departed?

As your departure made me desolate that day?

فَواكَبِدِى مِن عِلمِ أَن لَم تُنَوِّلِى

فَواكَبِدِى مِن عِلمِ أَن لَم تُنَوِّلِى

وَمِن حُمُقِى لا أَنتَهِى عَن سُؤَالِكِ

وَمِن حُمُقِى لا أَنتَهِى عَن سُؤَالِكِ

So, alas for my liver, knowing you have granted me nothing,

So bear with me, knowing I cannot help

And for my folly—I never cease asking you!

Asking you, and I cannot stop asking you

وَواكَبِدِى أَلا أَضُمَّكِ ضَمّةً

وَواكَبِدِى أَلا أَضُمَّكِ ضَمّةً

إِلىَّ وَقَد نامَت عُيُونُ رِجالِكِ

إِلىَّ وَقَد نامَت عُيُونُ رِجالِكِ

And alas for my liver, that I do not clasp you in an embrace

And bear with me, I cannot embrace you

To me, when the eyes of your men have fallen asleep!

While your people's eyes are closed in sleep

وَواكَبِدِى مِن لاعِجِ الحُبِّ وَالهَوَى

وَواكَبِدِى مِن لاعِجِ الحُبِّ وَالهَوَى

وَمِن نُشبَتِى لافَكَّ لِى مِن حِبالِكِد

وَمِن نُشبَتِى لافَكَّ لِى مِن حِبالِكِد

And alas for my liver, from the burning of love and passion,

And bear with me the agony of love and passion

And from my entanglement—no release for me from your cords!

And my addiction, I cannot free myself from your ropes

وَكُنَّا خُلَيطَى فِى الجِمالِ فَرَاعَنِى

وَكُنَّا خُلَيطَى فِى الجِمالِ فَرَاعَنِى

جِمالِى تَوَلَّى نُزَّعاً مِن جِمالِكِ

جِمالِى تَوَلَّى نُزَّعاً مِن جِمالِكِ

And we were partners with mingled camels; I was alarmed

And we were mixed in beauty, so my beauty

To see my camels turn away, separating from yours.

Withdrew out of shyness from your beauty

أَلَم تَعلَمِى أَنِّى أُسِرُّ عَلاقَةً

أَلَم تَعلَمِى أَنِّى أُسِرُّ عَلاقَةً

وَاَنِّىَ ذُو القُربَى وَأَنِّى ابنُ خالِكِ

وَاَنِّىَ ذُو القُربَى وَأَنِّى ابنُ خالِكِ

Did you not know that I conceal an attachment of love,

Don't you know I keep ties secret

And that I am your kinsman, and your maternal uncle's son?

For I am a close relative and your cousin?

سَلِى هَل شَكا شاكٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ واحدٌ

سَلِى هَل شَكا شاكٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ واحدٌ

كَشَكوَىَّ لا أُعطَى وَلا أَنَا تارِكُ

كَشَكوَىَّ لا أُعطَى وَلا أَنَا تارِكُ

Ask whether a single sufferer among people has complained

Ask whether anyone of all people has complained

As I complain: I am given nothing, yet I do not give up.

As I complain, neither satisfied nor leaving

أَيابانَةَ الوادِى لَقَد أَشرَفَ العَدِى

أَيابانَةَ الوادِى لَقَد أَشرَفَ العَدِى

عَلَينا يَفاعاً فاعلَمِى عِلمَ ذَلِكِ

عَلَينا يَفاعاً فاعلَمِى عِلمَ ذَلِكِ

O bān-tree of the valley, the enemies have looked down

O doe of the valley, the enemy has certainly

On us from high ground—know this well.

Come upon us aggressively; know that is so

ويابانَة الوادِى هَل أنتِ مُثِيبَةٌ

ويابانَة الوادِى هَل أنتِ مُثِيبَةٌ

فُؤَادَ فَتىً أَعلَقتِهِ فى حِبَالِكِ

فُؤَادَ فَتىً أَعلَقتِهِ فى حِبَالِكِ

And O bān-tree of the valley, will you reward

And O doe of the valley, will you gratify

The heart of a youth you have caught in your cords—

The heart of a youth bound by your ropes?

فُؤَادَ فَتىً صَبٍّ تَضَرَّعَهُ الهَوَى

فُؤَادَ فَتىً صَبٍّ تَضَرَّعَهُ الهَوَى

إِلَيكِ وَيُعطَى هَيئةً مِن جَلالِكِ

إِلَيكِ وَيُعطَى هَيئةً مِن جَلالِكِ

The heart of a lovesick youth whom passion has humbled

The heart of a melting youth who passion pleaded to you

Before you, and who is given an air of your majesty?

And was given a majestic form by your majesty?

ويا بانَةَ الوادِى أَلَيسَ بَلِيَّةً

ويا بانَةَ الوادِى أَلَيسَ بَلِيَّةً

مِنَ الأَمرِ أَن يُحمَى عَلَىّ ظِلالُكِ

مِنَ الأَمرِ أَن يُحمَى عَلَىّ ظِلالُكِ

And O bān-tree of the valley, is it not a calamity

And O doe of the valley, is it not an affliction

In this affair, that your shade should be barred to me?

That your shadows should be forbidden to me?