عرفتُ بعَرفِ الرّيح أينَ تيمموا

عرفتُ بعَرفِ الرّيح أينَ تيمموا

وأينَ استقلَ الظاعنونَ وَخيّموا

وأينَ استقلَ الظاعنونَ وَخيّموا

I knew by the wind’s scent where they had headed,

I knew from the fragrance of the wind where they prostrated,

And where the departing travelers set out and pitched camp.

And where the slanderers mounted and pitched their tents.

خَليلَيّ ردّاني إلى جانبِ الحمى

خَليلَيّ ردّاني إلى جانبِ الحمى

فلستُ إلى غير الحمى أتيممُ

فلستُ إلى غير الحمى أتيممُ

My two friends, bring me back beside the protected grounds;

My beloveds have brought me back to the side of fever,

For I head nowhere but toward the protected grounds.

So I do not aspire except to fever.

أبيتُ سميرَ الفرقدينِ كأنّما

أبيتُ سميرَ الفرقدينِ كأنّما

وسادي قُتادٌ أو ضجيعيِّ أرقمُ

وسادي قُتادٌ أو ضجيعيِّ أرقمُ

I spend the night keeping company with the two Farqad stars, as though

I spent the night with the two bright stars as though

My pillow were a thornbush, or my bedfellow a speckled serpent.

My pillow were Canopus or my bedfellow Rigel.

وأحورَ وَسنانِ الجفونِ كأنّه

وأحورَ وَسنانِ الجفونِ كأنّه

قَضيبٌ من الرِّيحانِ لدنٌ مُنعّمُ

قَضيبٌ من الرِّيحانِ لدنٌ مُنعّمُ

And a dark-eyed one, with drowsy eyelids, as though he were

And Ahwar's eyes and eyelashes as though they were

A sprig of basil, supple and tenderly nurtured.

A moist, softened stick of basil.

نظرتُ إلى أجفانه وإلى الهوى

نظرتُ إلى أجفانه وإلى الهوى

فأيقنتُ أنّي منهُنّ أسلمُ

فأيقنتُ أنّي منهُنّ أسلمُ

I looked at his eyelids and at love,

I looked at his eyelids and at love itself,

So I knew for certain that I was healthier than they.

And I was certain that through them I would be kept safe.

كما أنّ إبراهيمَ أوّلَ نظرةٍ

كما أنّ إبراهيمَ أوّلَ نظرةٍ

رأى في الدراري أنّهُ سمينٌ يَسقمُ

رأى في الدراري أنّهُ سمينٌ يَسقمُ

Just as Abraham, at his first glance,

Just as Abraham at first glance

Saw in the brilliant stars that he was stout and would fall ill.

Saw in the sacrifice that he was plump and would make him ill.