أَغادٍ أَخي مِن آلِ سَلمى فَمُبكِرُ

أَغادٍ أَخي مِن آلِ سَلمى فَمُبكِرُ

أَبِن لي أَغادٍ أَنت أَم مُتَهَجِّرُ

أَبِن لي أَغادٍ أَنت أَم مُتَهَجِّرُ

Is my brother leaving Salma's people at dawn, setting out early?

O brother of Salma's clan, so eager and brisk

Tell me: are you departing at dawn or in the midday heat?

Tell me, are you Aghad, or an emigrant?

فَإِنَّك إِن لا تَقضِني ثِنيَ ساعَةٍ

فَإِنَّك إِن لا تَقضِني ثِنيَ ساعَةٍ

فَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ ذي حاجَةٍ مُتَيَسِّرُ

فَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ ذي حاجَةٍ مُتَيَسِّرُ

For if you will not grant me a little while,

If you won't fulfill my wish in an hour

Then every man with a need stands ready.

Every man in need will find success assured

فَإِن كُنتَ قَد وَطَّنتَ نَفساً بِحُبِّها

فَإِن كُنتَ قَد وَطَّنتَ نَفساً بِحُبِّها

فَعِندَ ذَوي الأَهواءِ وِردٌ وَمَصدَرُ

فَعِندَ ذَوي الأَهواءِ وِردٌ وَمَصدَرُ

For if you have accustomed your soul to loving her,

If you have set your heart on loving her

Then lovers have their coming to water and their departure.

For those who love, a trysting-place is prepared

وَآخَرُ عَهدٍ لي بِها يَومَ وَدَّعَت

وَآخَرُ عَهدٍ لي بِها يَومَ وَدَّعَت

وَلاحَ لَها خَدٌّ مَليحٌ وَمَحجِرُ

وَلاحَ لَها خَدٌّ مَليحٌ وَمَحجِرُ

My last meeting with her was the day she bade farewell,

The last I saw her was the day she bid farewell

And her lovely cheek and the frame of her eye came into view.

Her cheek so fair, her brow serene and clear

عَشِيَّةَ قالَت لا تُضيعَنَّ سرَّنا

عَشِيَّةَ قالَت لا تُضيعَنَّ سرَّنا

إِذا غِبتَ عَنّا وَاِرعَهُ حينَ تُدبِرُ

إِذا غِبتَ عَنّا وَاِرعَهُ حينَ تُدبِرُ

That evening she said, “Never let our secret slip

At eve she said "Do not betray our secret

When you are away from us; guard it when you leave.

When you leave, beware when taking your leave"

وَطَرفكَ إِمّا جِئتَنا فَاِحفَظَنَّهُ

وَطَرفكَ إِمّا جِئتَنا فَاِحفَظَنَّهُ

فَذيعُ الهَوى بادٍ لِمَن يَتَبَصَّرُ

فَذيعُ الهَوى بادٍ لِمَن يَتَبَصَّرُ

And if ever you come to us, be sure to restrain your gaze,

And "Guard your eyes when you come visit me

For love's disclosure is plain to anyone who looks closely.

For jealous eyes are watching the lover"

وَأَعرِض إِذا لاقَيتَ عَيناً تَخافُها

وَأَعرِض إِذا لاقَيتَ عَيناً تَخافُها

وَظاهِر بِبَغضٍ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَستَرُ

وَظاهِر بِبَغضٍ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَستَرُ

Turn away if you encounter an eye you fear,

So turn away when you meet a prying glance

And make a show of hatred; that conceals us better.

Show hatred, for disguising love is wise

فَإِنَّكَ إِن عَرَضتَ فينا مَقالَةً

فَإِنَّكَ إِن عَرَضتَ فينا مَقالَةً

يَزِد في الَّذي قَد قُلتَ واشٍ وَيُكثَرُ

يَزِد في الَّذي قَد قُلتَ واشٍ وَيُكثَرُ

For if you make some remark about us,

If you confide in us, more will be spread

A talebearer will add to what you said, and it will be amplified,

Of what you said, by foe and friend made known

وَيَنشُرُ سِرّاً في الصَديقِ وَغَيرِهِ

وَيَنشُرُ سِرّاً في الصَديقِ وَغَيرِهِ

يَعِزُّ عَلَينا نَشرُهُ حينَ يُنشَرُ

يَعِزُّ عَلَينا نَشرُهُ حينَ يُنشَرُ

And he will spread a secret among friends and others,

I have not ceased to glance at you each visit

Whose disclosure pains us when it is divulged.

Till almost our love was clearly shown

فَما زِلتَ في إِعمالِ طَرفِكَ نَحوَنا

فَما زِلتَ في إِعمالِ طَرفِكَ نَحوَنا

إِذا جِئتَ حَتّى كادَ حُبُّكَ يَظهَرُ

إِذا جِئتَ حَتّى كادَ حُبُّكَ يَظهَرُ

For you kept turning your gaze toward us

My family scolded till each adviser

Whenever you came, until your love nearly became plain

Blamed me, though I disobey their warning

لأَهلِيَ حَتّى لامَني كُلُّ ناصِحٍ

لأَهلِيَ حَتّى لامَني كُلُّ ناصِحٍ

وَإِنّي لأَعصي نَهيُهُم حينَ أزجرُ

وَإِنّي لأَعصي نَهيُهُم حينَ أزجرُ

To my family, until every well-wisher reproached me;

I did not say this to accuse or blame

Yet I do defy their prohibitions when I am rebuked.

We would not slight you, that is not our way

وَما قُلتُ هَذا فَاِعلَمَنَّ تَجَنُّباً

وَما قُلتُ هَذا فَاِعلَمَنَّ تَجَنُّباً

لصَرمٍ وَلا هَذا بِنا عَنكَ يَقصُرُ

لصَرمٍ وَلا هَذا بِنا عَنكَ يَقصُرُ

I have not said this—know it well—to draw away

But I fear for you, you are dear to me

And sever our bond, nor does this hold us back from you.

I dread spying eyes, so I took care

وَلَكِنَّني أَهلي فِداؤُكَ أَتَّقي

وَلَكِنَّني أَهلي فِداؤُكَ أَتَّقي

عَلَيكَ عُيونَ الكاشِحينَ وَأَحذَرُ

عَلَيكَ عُيونَ الكاشِحينَ وَأَحذَرُ

But I—may my family be your ransom—guard

I fear my cousins' wrath falling on you

Against enemies' eyes for your sake, and am wary.

Only the wise man dreads his honor's loss

وَأَخشَى بَني عَمّي عَلَيكَ وَإِنَّما

وَأَخشَى بَني عَمّي عَلَيكَ وَإِنَّما

يَخافُ وَيَتقي عِرضَهُ المُتَفَكِّرُ

يَخافُ وَيَتقي عِرضَهُ المُتَفَكِّرُ

And I fear my paternal cousins for your sake; only

You are a man of Najd, and my family

The thoughtful man fears for his honor and guards it.

Suspicious, so what ties bind Najdi and lover?

وَأَنتَ اِمرُؤ مِن أَهلِ نَجدٍ وَأَهلُنا

وَأَنتَ اِمرُؤ مِن أَهلِ نَجدٍ وَأَهلُنا

تَهامٍ فَما النَجدِيُّ وَالمُتَغَوِّرُ

تَهامٍ فَما النَجدِيُّ وَالمُتَغَوِّرُ

You are a man from the people of Najd, while our people

When you come a stranger seeking your wish

Are of Tihamah—what have a Najdi and a lowlander in common?

While hostile eyes around you swirl and stir

غَريبٌ إِذا ما جِئتَ طالِبَ حاجَةٍ

غَريبٌ إِذا ما جِئتَ طالِبَ حاجَةٍ

وَحَولِيَ أَعداءٌ وَأَنتَ مُشَهَّرُ

وَحَولِيَ أَعداءٌ وَأَنتَ مُشَهَّرُ

You are a stranger when you come seeking what you need,

They say we met and fell in love

And enemies surround me, while you are well known.

And nurse their rage, their breasts aflame

وَقَد حَدَّثوا أَنّا اِلتَقَينا عَلى هَوىً

وَقَد حَدَّثوا أَنّا اِلتَقَينا عَلى هَوىً

فَكُلُّهُم مِن حَملِهِ الغَيظَ موقَرُ

فَكُلُّهُم مِن حَملِهِ الغَيظَ موقَرُ

They have already said that we met in love,

I said "Buthaina, you charged me secrecy

So every one of them is burdened by the anger he carries.”

Yet none but God can make a keeper pure"

فَقُلتُ لَها يا بَثنَ أَوصَيتِ حافِظاً

فَقُلتُ لَها يا بَثنَ أَوصَيتِ حافِظاً

وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ لَم يَرعَهُ اللَهُ مُعوِرُ

وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ لَم يَرعَهُ اللَهُ مُعوِرُ

So I said to her, “O Buthn, you have counseled a keeper of secrets,

If Umm Al-Jahm complains of slander

And every man whom God does not guard is vulnerable.

More blame from her I will gladly endure

فَإِن تَكُ أُمُّ الجَهمِ تَشكي مَلامَةً

فَإِن تَكُ أُمُّ الجَهمِ تَشكي مَلامَةً

إِلَيَّ فَما أَلقى مِنَ اللَومِ أَكثَرُ

إِلَيَّ فَما أَلقى مِنَ اللَومِ أَكثَرُ

For if Umm al-Jahm is complaining of reproach

I will glance at others when we meet

To me, the blame I endure is greater.

So they may think my love is elsewhere stirred

سَأَمنَحُ طَرفي حينَ أَلقاكِ غَيرَكُم

سَأَمنَحُ طَرفي حينَ أَلقاكِ غَيرَكُم

لِكَيما يَرَوا أَنَّ الهَوى حَيثُ أَنظُرُ

لِكَيما يَرَوا أَنَّ الهَوى حَيثُ أَنظُرُ

I shall give my gaze, when I meet you, to someone other than you,

I will look up to the heavens, and maybe

So they may see that love lies where I look.

My eyes will meet yours as you look above

أُقَلِّبُ طَرفي في السَماءِ لَعَلَّهُ

أُقَلِّبُ طَرفي في السَماءِ لَعَلَّهُ

يُوافِقُ طَرفي طَرفَكُم حينَ يَنظُرُ

يُوافِقُ طَرفي طَرفَكُم حينَ يَنظُرُ

I turn my gaze about the sky, hoping that

I will disguise my love by speaking of others

My gaze may meet yours when it looks.

Though true love stays steadfast and doesn't change

وَأَكني بِأَسماءٍ سواكِ وَأَتَّقي

وَأَكني بِأَسماءٍ سواكِ وَأَتَّقي

زِيارَتَكُم وَالحُبّ لا يَتَغَيَّرُ

زِيارَتَكُم وَالحُبّ لا يَتَغَيَّرُ

And I allude to you by other names, and avoid

How many secret lovers we have seen

Visiting you, though love remains unchanged.

Show hatred publicly when love appears

فَكَم قَد رَأَينا واجِداً بِحَبيبَةٍ

فَكَم قَد رَأَينا واجِداً بِحَبيبَةٍ

إِذا خافَ يُبدي بُغضَهُ حينَ يَظهَرُ

إِذا خافَ يُبدي بُغضَهُ حينَ يَظهَرُ

For many a man have we seen, lovesick for a beloved,

Who, when afraid, displays his hatred whenever he appears.”