تَذَكَّرَ أُنساً مِن بُثَينَةَ ذا القَلبُ

تَذَكَّرَ أُنساً مِن بُثَينَةَ ذا القَلبُ

وَبَثنَةُ ذِكراها لِذي شَجَنٍ نَصبُ

وَبَثنَةُ ذِكراها لِذي شَجَنٍ نَصبُ

This heart recalled the companionship of Buthayna;

He recalled a love from Buthayna, one with a heart

and Buthna—remembering her is torment to one in sorrow.

And Buthayna recalled one who bore sadness

وَحَنَّت قُلوصي فَاِستَمَعتُ لِسَجرِها

وَحَنَّت قُلوصي فَاِستَمَعتُ لِسَجرِها

بِرَملَةِ لُدٍّ وَهيَ مَثنِيَّةٌ تَحبو

بِرَملَةِ لُدٍّ وَهيَ مَثنِيَّةٌ تَحبو

And my young she-camel moaned, so I listened to her plaintive cry

My chest sighed and I listened to her tree's whispering

on the sands of Ludd, crawling with her legs folded.

With melancholy and yearning in raml verse

أَكَذَّبتُ طَرفي أَم رَأَيتُ بِذي الغَضا

أَكَذَّبتُ طَرفي أَم رَأَيتُ بِذي الغَضا

لِبَثنَةَ ناراً فَاِرفَعوا أَيُّها الرَكبُ

لِبَثنَةَ ناراً فَاِرفَعوا أَيُّها الرَكبُ

Did I distrust my sight, or did I see at Dhu al-Ghada

Did my eyes lie or did I see Buthayna's fire?

a fire belonging to Buthna? Then press on, O riders,

Rise, O riders, to the glow - not waning as if

إِلى ضَوءِ نارٍ ما تَبوخُ كَأَنَّها

إِلى ضَوءِ نارٍ ما تَبوخُ كَأَنَّها

مِنَ البُعدِ وَالإِقواءِ جَيبٌ لَهُ نَقبُ

مِنَ البُعدِ وَالإِقواءِ جَيبٌ لَهُ نَقبُ

toward the light of a fire that does not die down, as though it were—

From afar or faint, with a perforated pocket

from far off amid the desolation—a shirtfront with a hole in it.

O sleepers, awake! I ask if love kills a man

أَلا أَيُّها النُوّامُ وَيَحكُمُ هُبّوا

أَلا أَيُّها النُوّامُ وَيَحكُمُ هُبّوا

أُسائِلُكُم هَل يَقتِلُ الرَجُلَ الحُبُّ

أُسائِلُكُم هَل يَقتِلُ الرَجُلَ الحُبُّ

Ho, you sleepers—woe to you! Wake up!

Many riders I stopped, save for you

I ask you: does love kill a man?

Without you, the riders wouldn't have stopped

أَلا رُبَّ رَكبٍ قَد وَقَفتُ مَطِيَّهُم

أَلا رُبَّ رَكبٍ قَد وَقَفتُ مَطِيَّهُم

عَلَيكِ وَلَولا أَنتِ لَم يَقِفِ الرَكبُ

عَلَيكِ وَلَولا أَنتِ لَم يَقِفِ الرَكبُ

Ah, many a caravan's mounts have I halted

The first glance is hers, and latitude

for you; but for you, the riders would not have stopped.

Though sights may spin, the final look is hers

لَها النَظرَةُ الأولى عَلَيهِم وَبَسطَةٌ

لَها النَظرَةُ الأولى عَلَيهِم وَبَسطَةٌ

وَإِن كَرَّتِ الأَبصارُ كانَ لَها العُقبُ

وَإِن كَرَّتِ الأَبصارُ كانَ لَها العُقبُ

At their first glance she prevails over them and holds the advantage;

and if their eyes return, the final triumph is hers.