تَقولُ صَفيَّةَ وَالصَفوُ مِنها

تَقولُ صَفيَّةَ وَالصَفوُ مِنها

لِغَيري حينَ قَرَّبَتِ الجَمالا

لِغَيري حينَ قَرَّبَتِ الجَمالا

Safiyya says—though her pure affection

Safiyya says—though her sincere affection

is another’s—as I brought the camels near:

is for another—when she brought the camels near,

وَقَد سَفَرَت لَنا عَن بَدرٍ تَمٍ

وَقَد سَفَرَت لَنا عَن بَدرٍ تَمٍ

غَداةَ البَينِ وَاِنتَقَبَت هِلالا

غَداةَ البَينِ وَاِنتَقَبَت هِلالا

She had unveiled before us a full moon

having unveiled to us a full moon

on parting’s dawn, then veiled herself into a crescent.

on the morning of parting, and veiled herself as a crescent:

أَتَصبِر إِن هَجَرنا أَو بَعُدنا

أَتَصبِر إِن هَجَرنا أَو بَعُدنا

فَقُلتُ نَعَم نَعَم وَالقَلبُ لا لا

فَقُلتُ نَعَم نَعَم وَالقَلبُ لا لا

“Will you be patient if we forsake you, or go far away?”

“Will you endure if we forsake you or go far away?”

“Yes, yes,” I said—while the heart said, “No, no.”

So I said, “Yes, yes,” while my heart said, “No, no.”

يَخافُ البُعدَ مَن أَلِفَ التَداني

يَخافُ البُعدَ مَن أَلِفَ التَداني

وَيَخشى الهَجرَ مَن عَرفِ الوِصالا

وَيَخشى الهَجرَ مَن عَرفِ الوِصالا

Whoever has grown used to nearness fears distance,

Whoever has grown used to closeness fears distance,

and whoever has known union dreads being forsaken.

and whoever has known union dreads abandonment.