فقولا لباقي رَسم ميلاءَ باللوى

فقولا لباقي رَسم ميلاءَ باللوى

لوى الهضب بين المغرِ والمتخرم

لوى الهضب بين المغرِ والمتخرم

So you two, speak to Mayla's surviving trace at al-Liwa—

Tell whoever remains of the charm of Mila passing by

Liwa al-Hadb, between al-Maghr and al-Mutakharram—

The hills twist between the dunes and the rugged terrain

خيامٌ تهفُّ الريحُ في حجراتِها

خيامٌ تهفُّ الريحُ في حجراتِها

ونيٌّ كطَوقِ الفضَّةِ المُتَفَصِّمِ

ونيٌّ كطَوقِ الفضَّةِ المُتَفَصِّمِ

Tents through whose enclosures the wind blows softly,

Tents fluttering in the wind within their rooms

And a trench like a broken silver ring:

Bent like a necklace of splintered silver

عليك السلام أيها الربعُ باللِّوى

عليك السلام أيها الربعُ باللِّوى

وحييتَ مسؤولاً وإن لم تَكَلَّمِ

وحييتَ مسؤولاً وإن لم تَكَلَّمِ

Peace be upon you, O campsite at al-Liwa,

Peace be upon you, O quarter of Lia

And may you be greeted when questioned, though you do not speak,

You have greeted responsibly though you did not speak

بما كُنتَ إذ ميلاءُ ميلاءُ والنوى

بما كُنتَ إذ ميلاءُ ميلاءُ والنوى

جميعٌ وشعبُ الدارِ لم يتقسمِ

جميعٌ وشعبُ الدارِ لم يتقسمِ

For what you were when Mayla was Mayla and our paths

As Mila was once whole and ripe

Were one, and the settlement's people had not divided,

All together and the people of the house were undivided

كما يتمنَّى من تمَنَّى ولا أرى

كما يتمنَّى من تمَنَّى ولا أرى

لياناً من الدنيا لحيٍّ بأنعُمِ

لياناً من الدنيا لحيٍّ بأنعُمِ

As any wisher might wish; and I see no

Just as whoever wished wished but I do not see

Worldly ease more blissful for any living soul.

Any livelihood for the living with blessings

فإن يَخلُ من ميلاءَ ربعٌ فما خلا

فإن يَخلُ من ميلاءَ ربعٌ فما خلا

بَنات الحَشَا من حُبِّها المتمنمم

بَنات الحَشَا من حُبِّها المتمنمم

If a campsite is empty of Mayla, not empty are

If some parts of Mila are empty, it is not devoid

The heart's thoughts of her intricately woven love.

Of the daughters of Hasha from their concealed love

ولا عدلت ميلاءَ منذُ تباعدت

ولا عدلت ميلاءَ منذُ تباعدت

بها الدارُ من بِكرٍ ولا ذات قيِّمِ

بها الدارُ من بِكرٍ ولا ذات قيِّمِ

Nor has Mayla been equaled, since

Mila has not changed since it dispersed

Her dwelling carried her far away, by any maiden or wife.

Among it the house from old and the one with value

شعوفٌ بريا المسك تشفي من الجَوى

شعوفٌ بريا المسك تشفي من الجَوى

ومن يَرَها لا يشتكي السُقمَ يَسقَمِ

ومن يَرَها لا يشتكي السُقمَ يَسقَمِ

Heart-ravishing with musk's fragrance, she cures lovesickness,

Dewy fragrant blossoms that heal agony

And whoever sees her, free of sickness, sickens.

Whoever sees it will not complain of sickness even if sick

رَداحُ المُرَدَّى في اعتدالٍ كأنها

رَداحُ المُرَدَّى في اعتدالٍ كأنها

صَريمَةُ رَملٍ نُطِّقَت خُوطَ ساسَمِ

صَريمَةُ رَملٍ نُطِّقَت خُوطَ ساسَمِ

Ample beneath her robe, yet well-proportioned, as though she were

Flat sands in moderation as if

A mound of sand girdled with a sasam shoot.

Articulate sands given the features of a bracelet

تَلوثُ خِمارَ القَزِّ في غَيرِ لبسةٍ

تَلوثُ خِمارَ القَزِّ في غَيرِ لبسةٍ

عَفَت والمُسَدَّى من يَمَانِ مُسَهَّمِ

عَفَت والمُسَدَّى من يَمَانِ مُسَهَّمِ

She winds her silk veil, her garments not

She wears the Kazz without clothes

Worn out, and her woven cloth of arrow-striped Yemeni make,

Chaste and heavily perfumed from Yemen

بأغيد عمهوجٍ ترى بَينَ

بأغيد عمهوجٍ ترى بَينَ

الاتحمي المنمنم

الاتحمي المنمنم

Around a supple, graceful form; you see amid

With palms bent over she is seen

The finely patterned Atḥamī cloth

Swaying gently

مُقدّاً يكادُ الطرفُ يبرق أن يَرَى

مُقدّاً يكادُ الطرفُ يبرق أن يَرَى

مناظِر مِنهُ حرَّةَ المُتَوسَّمِ

مناظِر مِنهُ حرَّةَ المُتَوسَّمِ

A shapely body; the eye is almost dazzled to see

Glistening as if the eyes will shine when they see

Its features, so noble in appearance.

Scenes from it, the heated brand

إذا ضحكت لم تنتهر وتبسمت

إذا ضحكت لم تنتهر وتبسمت

عن المي وعَن ذي فلجةٍ لم يُثلمِ

عن المي وعَن ذي فلجةٍ لم يُثلمِ

When she laughs, she does not chide, and she smiles

When she laughs she is not rebuked and when she smiles

Revealing dark lips and spaced, unchipped teeth.

From the water and from the one with an injury that was not harmed

له مائحيجلو القذَى عن متونه

له مائحيجلو القذَى عن متونه

مِنَ الضِّرو أو عُودِ الأراكِ المُقَوَّم

مِنَ الضِّرو أو عُودِ الأراكِ المُقَوَّم

It has a cleansing stick that clears grit from its surfaces,

It has winds that blow the motes from its exterior

Of mastic wood, or a straightened arak twig.

Of harm or straight and firm sticks

وداوية قفر يُغَنِّي بها الصدى

وداوية قفر يُغَنِّي بها الصدى

غِناءَ حمامِ الأيكَةِ المترنِّمِ

غِناءَ حمامِ الأيكَةِ المترنِّمِ

And a barren wilderness where the owl sings

And a singer in the wilderness in which the echo sings

The lilting song of doves in a grove—

The cooing of the doves from the cote

سرينا بها من حُبِّ ميلاءَ بعدما

سرينا بها من حُبِّ ميلاءَ بعدما

بلَونا عُلالاتِ المطيِّ المخزَّمِ

بلَونا عُلالاتِ المطيِّ المخزَّمِ

We traveled through it by night for love of Mayla, after

We walked through it out of love for Mila after

We had tested the remaining strength of the nose-ringed mounts,

We tested the hardships of the preserved journey

لندنو من ميلاءَ أو نُعقَبَ الذي

لندنو من ميلاءَ أو نُعقَبَ الذي

قَضَينا فَنُجزى يَومَ بُؤسٍ بأَنعُمِ

قَضَينا فَنُجزى يَومَ بُؤسٍ بأَنعُمِ

To draw near to Mayla, or be recompensed for what

To approach Mila or to be rewarded for what

We endured, and be repaid for a day of misery with blessings.

We fulfilled so we may be rewarded on a day of misery with blessings

صَحا مَن تَصابى من لِداتِي وحُبُّها

صَحا مَن تَصابى من لِداتِي وحُبُّها

شَرِيكُ المنايا سِيطَ بِاللَّحمِ والدَّمِ

شَرِيكُ المنايا سِيطَ بِاللَّحمِ والدَّمِ

Those among my peers who played at youth have sobered; yet love for her

It went well for whoever sought closeness and his love for it

Is death's partner, mingled with flesh and blood.

Is a partner with death soaked with flesh and blood