شاهدتهم وأنا أخافُ عناقهم

شاهدتهم وأنا أخافُ عناقهم

شُحاً على أجسامِهم أن تُحرقا

شُحاً على أجسامِهم أن تُحرقا

I saw them, fearing to embrace them,

I saw them and I fear their embrace

out of concern for their bodies, lest they be burned.

Reluctant for their bodies to burn

فتركتُ حظّي من دُنوّي منهُمُ

فتركتُ حظّي من دُنوّي منهُمُ

ومن الوفاءِ بأن تُحبّ فَتَصدُقا

ومن الوفاءِ بأن تُحبّ فَتَصدُقا

So I gave up my share of drawing near to them;

So I left my share of their affection

and faithfulness is to love and be sincere.

And of loyalty that you love and believe

وأقلُ فعلي يومَ بانوا أنّني

وأقلُ فعلي يومَ بانوا أنّني

قبّلتُ آثارَ المطيِّ تشوُّقا

قبّلتُ آثارَ المطيِّ تشوُّقا

And the least I did the day they departed was that I

My least deed the day they appeared

kissed the camels’ tracks out of longing.

That I kissed the track of yearning

ولَوِ أنّ عُذرةً شاهَدت من موقفي

ولَوِ أنّ عُذرةً شاهَدت من موقفي

شيئا لحذرها بأن لا تَعشَقا

شيئا لحذرها بأن لا تَعشَقا

And had ʿUdhra seen my plight

If Udhra from my stance witnessed

at all, it would have warned her not to fall in love.

Anything I'd warn her not to fall in love