يا راكِبَ العِرمِسَ الوَجناء مُعتَرِضاً

يا راكِبَ العِرمِسَ الوَجناء مُعتَرِضاً

دونَ العُذَيبِ عَلى مَيثٍ وَأَجراعِ

دونَ العُذَيبِ عَلى مَيثٍ وَأَجراعِ

O rider of the sturdy, stout-cheeked she-camel, crossing

O rider of the lean camel crossing

short of al-Udhayb, over soft ground and sandy stretches,

Below Al Udhayb on a covenant and calves,

بَلِّغ خَفاجَةَ عَنّي إِن مَرَرتَ بِها

بَلِّغ خَفاجَةَ عَنّي إِن مَرَرتَ بِها

وَنادِها لا أَجابَت دَعوَةَ الدّاعي

وَنادِها لا أَجابَت دَعوَةَ الدّاعي

Convey my words to Khafaja, if you pass by her,

Convey to Khafaja on my behalf if you pass by her,

and call to her—may she never answer a caller's summons!

And call upon her though she may not answer the caller's call,

يا خَيَّبَ الله مَن يَرجو نَوالَكُمُ

يا خَيَّبَ الله مَن يَرجو نَوالَكُمُ

كَم تَمنَعوني آمالي وَأَطماعي

كَم تَمنَعوني آمالي وَأَطماعي

Ah, may God disappoint whoever hopes for your bounty!

May Allah disappoint those who hope for your generosity,

How often you deny me my hopes and desires!

How you deny me my hopes and greed,

وَتَلبَسونَ الهُوَينا وَابنُ عَمِّكُمُ

وَتَلبَسونَ الهُوَينا وَابنُ عَمِّكُمُ

في ساحَةِ الذُّلِّ مَقذوفاً بِجَعجاعِ

في ساحَةِ الذُّلِّ مَقذوفاً بِجَعجاعِ

And you clothe yourselves in ease, while your cousin

And the love of Huwaina and your cousin

lies cast in humiliation's arena, in a harsh, confined place.

Is flung into the field of humiliation with clamor,

ظَنَنتُمُ المَجدَ أَذواداً مُهَمَّلَةً

ظَنَنتُمُ المَجدَ أَذواداً مُهَمَّلَةً

وَثُلَّةً صاحَ في أَرجائِها الرّاعي

وَثُلَّةً صاحَ في أَرجائِها الرّاعي

You thought glory was untended herds of camels,

You thought glory was neglected troops

and a flock whose shepherd cried out along its edges.

And a few for which the herdsman cried out in its outskirts,

فَرَوَّعَ اللَّهُ جاري إِن جَزَيتَكُمُ

فَرَوَّعَ اللَّهُ جاري إِن جَزَيتَكُمُ

إِلّا بِمُنصَلِتٍ كَالنَّجمِ قَطّاعِ

إِلّا بِمُنصَلِتٍ كَالنَّجمِ قَطّاعِ

Then may God terrify my neighbor if I repay you

May Allah terrify you if you reward

with anything but a drawn sword, star-bright and keen-edged.

Anyone except with a slaughtering sword like a cutting star,

أَنا ابنُ مَن لَم يَدَع ذُخراً لِوارِثِهِ

أَنا ابنُ مَن لَم يَدَع ذُخراً لِوارِثِهِ

إِلّا الجِيادَ وَسُمراً ذاتَ زَعزاعِ

إِلّا الجِيادَ وَسُمراً ذاتَ زَعزاعِ

I am the son of one who left his heir no treasure

I am the son of one who left no hoard for his heir

except fine steeds and fiercely quivering brown lances.

Except for steeds and a brown-skinned one with commotion,

داني القِرى لا يَذُمُّ الذِّئبُ صُحبَتَهُ

داني القِرى لا يَذُمُّ الذِّئبُ صُحبَتَهُ

وَلا يَقِرُّ عَلى هَمٍّ وَأَذماعِ

وَلا يَقِرُّ عَلى هَمٍّ وَأَذماعِ

His hospitality is close at hand; the wolf finds no fault with his company,

Dani, the hamlets, the wolf does not censure his company,

nor does he sit still amid distress and alarm.

Nor settle upon anxiety and cravings,

ذَنبي إِلى القَوم أَنّي ما حَمَلتُ لَهُم

ذَنبي إِلى القَوم أَنّي ما حَمَلتُ لَهُم

قَلباً ذَليلاً وَكَفّاً غَيرَ مِضياعِ

قَلباً ذَليلاً وَكَفّاً غَيرَ مِضياعِ

My offense in these people's eyes is that I did not bring them

My crime to the people is that I have not borne for them

a servile heart or a hand that is not lavish.

A submissive heart or a palm that does not conceal,

وَأَنكَروا بي أَسقاماً مُؤرِّقَةً

وَأَنكَروا بي أَسقاماً مُؤرِّقَةً

وَلَوعَةً تَتوارى بَينَ أَضلاعي

وَلَوعَةً تَتوارى بَينَ أَضلاعي

And they faulted me for ailments that deny me sleep,

And they denounced me with agonizing ills

and a burning anguish that hides between my ribs.

And an anguish that hides between my ribs,

وَما عَلَيهِم إِذا ما قُلتُ مِن طَرَب

وَما عَلَيهِم إِذا ما قُلتُ مِن طَرَب

يا دِيمَةَ الغَيثِ حَيّي سَرحَةَ القاعِ

يا دِيمَةَ الغَيثِ حَيّي سَرحَةَ القاعِ

And what harm is it to them if, in rapture, I say:

It is not for them when I say in euphoria,

O gentle, steady rain, greet the plain's spreading tree!

O morning rain give drink to the plain of the dunes,

نَعَم أُحِبُّ سُلَيمى فَاهجروا عَذَلي

نَعَم أُحِبُّ سُلَيمى فَاهجروا عَذَلي

فَالقَلبُ قَلبيَ وَالأَوجاعُ أَوجاعي

فَالقَلبُ قَلبيَ وَالأَوجاعُ أَوجاعي

Yes, I love Sulayma, so stop reproaching me;

Yes, I love Sulayma so shun my torment,

for the heart is mine, and the pains are mine.

For the heart is my heart and the agonies are my agonies,

وَإِن دَعاني الهَوى لَبَّيتُ دَعوَتَهُ

وَإِن دَعاني الهَوى لَبَّيتُ دَعوَتَهُ

وَالحُبُّ أَكرَمُ ما لَبَّيتُ مِن داعي

وَالحُبُّ أَكرَمُ ما لَبَّيتُ مِن داعي

And if passion calls me, I answer its call,

And if passion calls me I shall answer its call,

and love is the noblest caller I have answered.

For love is the most honorable I have answered from a caller.