طَرَقَتكَ زَينَبُ وَالرِّكابُ مُناخَةٌ

طَرَقَتكَ زَينَبُ وَالرِّكابُ مُناخَةٌ

بَينَ المَخارمِ وَالنَّدَى يَتَصَبّبُ

بَينَ المَخارمِ وَالنَّدَى يَتَصَبّبُ

Zaynab visited you by night while the riding camels knelt,

Zainab approached, the riders halting

among the mountain passes, as the dew trickled down,

Between the soft sands and the dripping dew.

بِثَنِيَّةِ العَلَمَينِ وَهناً بَعدَ مَا

بِثَنِيَّةِ العَلَمَينِ وَهناً بَعدَ مَا

خَفَقَ السِّماكُ وَعَأرضَتهُ العَقرَبُ

خَفَقَ السِّماكُ وَعَأرضَتهُ العَقرَبُ

at the pass of al-ʿAlamayn, late at night, after

By the valley of standards, here once more,

al-Simak had set and the Scorpion had come opposite it.

After the bustards took flight and the locust swarmed.

وَتَحِيَّةٌ وكَرَامةٌ لِخَيالِها

وَتَحِيَّةٌ وكَرَامةٌ لِخَيالِها

وَمَعَ التَّحيَّةِ وَالكَرَامَةِ مَرحَبُ

وَمَعَ التَّحيَّةِ وَالكَرَامَةِ مَرحَبُ

And a greeting and honor to her apparition,

Greetings and honor to your imagination,

and, with the greeting and honor, a welcome.

Greetings and honor, a warm welcome!

أنِّى اهتَدَيتِ وَمَن هَداكِ ودُونَنا

أنِّى اهتَدَيتِ وَمَن هَداكِ ودُونَنا

حَمَلٌ فَقُلَّةُ عالِجٍ فالمَرقَبُ

حَمَلٌ فَقُلَّةُ عالِجٍ فالمَرقَبُ

How did you find your way, and who guided you, when between us lie

How did you find your way, who guided you to us

Hamal, then the summit of ʿAlij, then al-Marqab?

When our burdens are few and our hopes unsure?

وَزَعَمتِ أَهلَكِ يَمنَعُونَكِ رَغبَةً

وَزَعَمتِ أَهلَكِ يَمنَعُونَكِ رَغبَةً

عَنّى فَقَومِى بى أَضَنُّ وأَرغَبُ

عَنّى فَقَومِى بى أَضَنُّ وأَرغَبُ

And you claimed your family keeps you back, out of aversion

You claimed your people deterred you from me

to me; then my people guard me more jealously and are more averse.

Yet my people are kinder and more desirous.

أَوَ لَيسَ لِى قُرَبَاءُ إِن أَقصَيتِنى

أَوَ لَيسَ لِى قُرَبَاءُ إِن أَقصَيتِنى

حَدَبُوا عَلَىَّ وَعِندِىَ المُستَعتَبُ

حَدَبُوا عَلَىَّ وَعِندِىَ المُستَعتَبُ

And have I not kinsmen who, if you cast me off,

Have I no kin, that you shun me,

will care for me? And with me there is room for reconciliation.

They will flock to me, I who am sought?

فَلَئِن دَنَوتِ لأََدنُوَنَّ بِعِفَّةٍ

فَلَئِن دَنَوتِ لأََدنُوَنَّ بِعِفَّةٍ

وَلَئِن نأَيتِ لَمَا وَرَائى أَرحَبُ

وَلَئِن نأَيتِ لَمَا وَرَائى أَرحَبُ

So if you draw near, I shall surely draw near chastely,

If you draw near, modestly I'll approach,

and if you withdraw, what lies behind me is surely more spacious.

If you distance, what's behind me is wider.

يَأبَى وَجَدِّكِ أَن أَكونَ مُقَصِّراً

يَأبَى وَجَدِّكِ أَن أَكونَ مُقَصِّراً

عَقلٌ أَعِيشُ بِهِ وَرَأيٌ قُلَّبُ

عَقلٌ أَعِيشُ بِهِ وَرَأيٌ قُلَّبُ

What keeps me, by your fortune, from falling short

Your affection refuses to let me fall short,

is the reason I live by and resourceful judgment.

A mind I live by and reflect I perturb.