أَمِن أُمِّ عَمروٍ بِالخَريقِ دِيارُ

أَمِن أُمِّ عَمروٍ بِالخَريقِ دِيارُ

نَعَم دارِساتٌ قَد عَفَونَ قِفارُ

نَعَم دارِساتٌ قَد عَفَونَ قِفارُ

Are there dwellings of Umm Amr at al-Khariq?

Is it from Umm Amr's abode in Al-Kharaiq the homes

Yes—faded, already effaced, and desolate.

Yes, homes long abandoned whose traces time outwore

وَأُخرى بِذي المَشروحِ مِن بَطنِ بِيشَةٍ

وَأُخرى بِذي المَشروحِ مِن بَطنِ بِيشَةٍ

بِها لِمَطافيلِ النِّهاجِ صِوارُ

بِها لِمَطافيلِ النِّهاجِ صِوارُ

And another at Dhu al-Mashruh, in the valley of Bishah,

Another in Dhi Al-Mashrooḥ from the belly of Bishah

where there is a herd of al-Nihaj's wild cows with their young.

Where barking dogs startle the quiet no more

تَرَاها وَقَد خَفَّ الأَنيسُ كَأَنَّها

تَرَاها وَقَد خَفَّ الأَنيسُ كَأَنَّها

بِمُندَفِعِ الخُرطومَتينِ إِزارُ

بِمُندَفِعِ الخُرطومَتينِ إِزارُ

You see it, its human company gone, as though it were

You see it, though the friend has gone, as if

a waistcloth at the outlet of al-Khurtumatayn.

With its two protruding proboscises, a robe it wore

فَأَقسَمتُ لا أَنساكِ ما عِشتُ لَيلَةً

فَأَقسَمتُ لا أَنساكِ ما عِشتُ لَيلَةً

وَإِن شاحَطَت دارٌ وَشَطَّ مَزارُ

وَإِن شاحَطَت دارٌ وَشَطَّ مَزارُ

So I swore: I shall not forget you as long as I live a single night,

So I swore I'll not forget you as long as I live a night

even if the dwelling lies far away and the meeting-place is distant.

Though homes crumble and tombs decay evermore

أُحِبُّكِ ما دامَت بِنَجدٍ وَشيجَةٌ

أُحِبُّكِ ما دامَت بِنَجدٍ وَشيجَةٌ

وَما ثَبَتَت أُبلى بِهِ وَتِعارُ

وَما ثَبَتَت أُبلى بِهِ وَتِعارُ

I love you as long as a tree-root remains in Najd,

I love you as long as Nejd and Shayjah stand

and as long as Ubla and Ti'ar stand firm there;

As long as the camel's saddle its seat does score

وَما اِستنَّ رَقراقُ السَرابِ وَما جَرَت

وَما اِستنَّ رَقراقُ السَرابِ وَما جَرَت

مِنَ الوَحشِ عَصماءُ اليَدينِ نَوارُ

مِنَ الوَحشِ عَصماءُ اليَدينِ نَوارُ

and as long as the mirage's shimmer races, and as long as there runs

As long as the desert's mirage flows and as long as

among the wild beasts a shy creature with white-marked forelegs;

The wild deer's wrists unbound by rope run before

وَما سالَ وادٍ مِن تِهامَةَ طيبٌ

وَما سالَ وادٍ مِن تِهامَةَ طيبٌ

بِهِ قُلبٌ عادِيَّةٌ وَكِرارُ

بِهِ قُلبٌ عادِيَّةٌ وَكِرارُ

and as long as a pleasant valley in Tihamah flows,

And as long as the clouds rain goodness on Tihamah

with ancient wells and waterholes within it.

Gladdening hearts nomadic and settled folklore

سَقاها مِنَ الجوزاءِ وَالدَّلوِ خِلَفَةً

سَقاها مِنَ الجوزاءِ وَالدَّلوِ خِلَفَةً

مَباكيرُ لَم يُندِب بِهِنَّ صِرارُ

مَباكيرُ لَم يُندِب بِهِنَّ صِرارُ

May it be watered, from al-Jawza and al-Dalw in succession,

Sakah gave them from Al-Jawzah and the bucket left behind

by early rainclouds that no udder-binding cord has scarred,

Maidens pure their beauty no elegy to deplore

بِدُرَّةِ أَبكارٍ مِنَ المُزنِ ما لَها

بِدُرَّةِ أَبكارٍ مِنَ المُزنِ ما لَها

إِذا ما اِستَهلَّت بِالنِجادِ غَوارُ

إِذا ما اِستَهلَّت بِالنِجادِ غَوارُ

with the milk-flow of virgin rainclouds, which have no

With pearls of chaste virgins from Muzain they have

abatement when they pour upon the uplands.

When dusk descends, dust their raiment does pour

وَفيها عَلى أَنَّ الفُؤادَ يُحِبُّها

وَفيها عَلى أَنَّ الفُؤادَ يُحِبُّها

صُدودٌ إِذا لاقَيتُها وَذِرارُ

صُدودٌ إِذا لاقَيتُها وَذِرارُ

Yet in her, though my heart loves her,

In them, though the heart loves them, are breasts

there is aversion when I meet her, and anger.

When met by them, my reason and senses no more

وَإِنّي لَآتيكُم عَلى كَلِمِ العِدا

وَإِنّي لَآتيكُم عَلى كَلِمِ العِدا

وَأَمشي وَفي المَمشى إِلَيكِ مُشارُ

وَأَمشي وَفي المَمشى إِلَيكِ مُشارُ

And I do come to you, despite the enemies' words,

I come to you true to my vow to your abode I walk

and I walk, though an adversary is on the path to you.

While my steps to where you dwell lead me evermore