تَقولُ وَالعيسُ قَد شُدَّت بأرحُلِنا

تَقولُ وَالعيسُ قَد شُدَّت بأرحُلِنا

الحَقُّ أَنَّكَ مِنّا اليَومَ مُنطَلِقُ

الحَقُّ أَنَّكَ مِنّا اليَومَ مُنطَلِقُ

She says, with our saddles already fastened on the pale camels,

You say, while the camel litter is made ready with our baggage saddle-bags,

“Is it true that you are leaving us today?”

“Indeed, you are leaving us today.”

قُلتُ نَعَم فاكظُمي قالَت وَماجَلَدي

قُلتُ نَعَم فاكظُمي قالَت وَماجَلَدي

وَما أَظنُّ اِجتِماعاً حينَ نَفتَرِقُ

وَما أَظنُّ اِجتِماعاً حينَ نَفتَرِقُ

I said, “Yes, so restrain yourself.” She said, “And what endurance have I?

I said, “Yes.” She said, “Endure it patiently.” I said, “What endurance!

And I expect no reunion once we part.”

I do not think we will reunite after parting.”

فارَقتُها لا فُؤادي مِن تَذكُّرِها

فارَقتُها لا فُؤادي مِن تَذكُّرِها

سالي الهُمومِ وَلا حَبلي لَها خَلَقُ

سالي الهُمومِ وَلا حَبلي لَها خَلَقُ

I parted from her; at the thought of her, my heart is not

I left her, my heart oblivious from remembering her.

free of sorrow, nor is the cord binding me to her worn out.

My anxieties poured over, and I have no patience for them.

فاضَت عَلى إِثرِهِم عَيناكَ دَمعُهُما

فاضَت عَلى إِثرِهِم عَيناكَ دَمعُهُما

كَما تَتابَعَ يَجري اللؤلؤُ النسقُ

كَما تَتابَعَ يَجري اللؤلؤُ النسقُ

Your eyes overflowed with tears in their wake,

Then, your two eyes overflowed with their tears,

like strung pearls streaming one after another.

As if pearls were following each other in order.

فاِستَبقِ عَينَكَ لا يودي البُكاءُ بِها

فاِستَبقِ عَينَكَ لا يودي البُكاءُ بِها

واكفف مَدامِعَ مِن عَينَيكَ تَستَبِقُ

واكفف مَدامِعَ مِن عَينَيكَ تَستَبِقُ

So preserve your eye; let weeping not destroy it,

Restrain your eyes, lest crying wear them out,

and hold back the tears racing from your eyes.

And curb the flowing tears from your eyes.

لَيسَ الشؤونُ وَإِن جادَت بِباقيَةٍ

لَيسَ الشؤونُ وَإِن جادَت بِباقيَةٍ

وَلا الجُفونُ عَلى هَذا وَلا الحَدَقُ

وَلا الجُفونُ عَلى هَذا وَلا الحَدَقُ

The tear ducts, though they flow freely, cannot endure,

Neither matters, though serious, nor eyelids over this, nor eyeballs

nor can the eyelids withstand this, nor the pupils.

Are lasting. They took care of your heart when they left hastily,

راعوا فُؤادَكَ إِذ بانوا عَلى عَجَلٍ

راعوا فُؤادَكَ إِذ بانوا عَلى عَجَلٍ

فاِستَردَفوهُ كَما يُستَردَفُ النَسَقُ

فاِستَردَفوهُ كَما يُستَردَفُ النَسَقُ

They startled your heart when they departed in haste,

So accompany it as the string of pearls accompanies each pearl.

and took it up behind them, as a follower is taken up behind.

They left with blood-red sacrificial camels, which Warjan,

بانوا بأدماءَ مِن وَحشِ الجَنابِ لَها

بانوا بأدماءَ مِن وَحشِ الجَنابِ لَها

أَحوى أُخينسُ في أَرطاتِهِ خرَقُ

أَحوى أُخينسُ في أَرطاتِهِ خرَقُ

They departed with a pale doe from among al-Janab’s wild beasts; she has

The wolf, tore to pieces with his claws in their resting place.

a dark-coated, little snub-nosed buck, dazed with fright among his arta bushes.