خَليلَيَّ هَذا رَبْعُ عَزَّةَ فَاعْقِلَا

خَليلَيَّ هَذا رَبْعُ عَزَّةَ فَاعْقِلَا

قلوصَيكُما ثُمَّ ابْكِيَا حَيثُ حَلَّتِ

قلوصَيكُما ثُمَّ ابْكِيَا حَيثُ حَلَّتِ

My two friends, this is 'Azza's dwelling; hobble

My two friends, this is a fragment of Azizah's glory, so be rational

your two young she-camels, then weep where she dwelt.

Suppress your yearning, then weep wherever she camped,

وَمُسّا تُرابًا كَانَ قَد مَسَّ جِلدَها

وَمُسّا تُرابًا كَانَ قَد مَسَّ جِلدَها

وَبيتا وَظِلاَ حَيثُ باتَت وَظَلَّتِ

وَبيتا وَظِلاَ حَيثُ باتَت وَظَلَّتِ

And touch the soil that once touched her skin,

And touch dust that had touched her skin,

and spend the night and day where she spent the night and day.

And seek shade and shelter where she passed her night and took shade,

وَلا تَيأَسا أَن يَمحُوَ اللهُ عَنكُما

وَلا تَيأَسا أَن يَمحُوَ اللهُ عَنكُما

ذُنوبًا إِذا صَلَّيتُما حَيثُ صَلَّتِ

ذُنوبًا إِذا صَلَّيتُما حَيثُ صَلَّتِ

Do not lose hope that God will wipe away from you both

Do not despair that God may forgive you

sins, if you pray where she prayed.

When you pray wherever she prayed,

وما كنت أَدري قَبلَ عَزَّةَ ما البُكا

وما كنت أَدري قَبلَ عَزَّةَ ما البُكا

وَلا مُوجِعاتِ القَلبِ حَتَّى تَوَلَّتِ

وَلا مُوجِعاتِ القَلبِ حَتَّى تَوَلَّتِ

Before 'Azza, I did not know what weeping was,

And I did not know before Azizah what weeping was

nor what pains the heart, until she departed.

Nor the pains of the heart, until she turned away.

وَما أَنصَفَت أَما النِساءُ فَبَغَّضَت

وَما أَنصَفَت أَما النِساءُ فَبَغَّضَت

إِلينا وَأَمَّا بِالنَوالِ فَضَنَّتِ

إِلينا وَأَمَّا بِالنَوالِ فَضَنَّتِ

She was not fair: as for women, she made them hateful

She was not fair to us women, so she hated us

to us; as for favors, she withheld them.

And was niggardly in gifts, whereas before she was generous

فَقَد حَلَفَت جَهدًا بِما نَحَرَت لَهُ

فَقَد حَلَفَت جَهدًا بِما نَحَرَت لَهُ

قُرَيشٌ غَداةَ المَأزَمينِ وَصَلّتِ

قُرَيشٌ غَداةَ المَأزَمينِ وَصَلّتِ

For she swore solemnly by the One for whom

She swore strongly by the sacrifice that Quraish made

Quraysh sacrificed and prayed on the morning of al-Ma'ziman:

The morning of Confederates, and prayed

أُناديكَ ما حَجَّ الحَجِيجُ وَكَبَّرَت

أُناديكَ ما حَجَّ الحَجِيجُ وَكَبَّرَت

بِفَيفاء آل رُفقَةٌ وَأَهَلَّتِ

بِفَيفاء آل رُفقَةٌ وَأَهَلَّتِ

‘I will call you as long as pilgrims make pilgrimage, and God's greatness is proclaimed

I call you - has any pilgrim circumambulated

at Fayfa Al by a company that also raises the pilgrimage cry,

With the throng of the Rufay'ah clan, and entered ihram

وَما كَبَّرَت مِن فَوقِ رُكبةَ رُفقةٌ

وَما كَبَّرَت مِن فَوقِ رُكبةَ رُفقةٌ

وَمِن ذي غَزال أَشعَرَت وَاِستَهَلَّتِ

وَمِن ذي غَزال أَشعَرَت وَاِستَهَلَّتِ

and as long as a company above Rukba proclaims God's greatness

Nor has any of the Rufay'ah clan above the station of Rukbah

and, from Dhu Ghazal, marks sacrificial beasts and raises the pilgrimage cry.’

Of those with long hair, entered ihram and commenced talbiyah

وَكانَت لِقَطعِ الحَبلِ بَيني وَبَينَها

وَكانَت لِقَطعِ الحَبلِ بَيني وَبَينَها

كَناذِرَةٍ نَذرًا وَفَت فَأَحَلَّتِ

كَناذِرَةٍ نَذرًا وَفَت فَأَحَلَّتِ

In cutting the bond between me and her, she was

And she was like one who has vowed

like a woman who vowed, fulfilled her vow, and was released.

To cut the tie between me and her, and fulfilled her vow

فَقُلتُ لَها يا عَزَّ كُلُّ مُصيبَةٍ

فَقُلتُ لَها يا عَزَّ كُلُّ مُصيبَةٍ

إِذا وُطِّنَت يَومًا لَها النَفسُ ذلَّتِ

إِذا وُطِّنَت يَومًا لَها النَفسُ ذلَّتِ

So I told her: O 'Azz, every misfortune,

So I said: O Azizah, every misfortune,

once the soul is steeled for it, grows tame.

When the soul becomes accustomed to it, is humbled

وَلَم يَلقَ إِنسانٌ مِنَ الحُبَّ مَيعَةً

وَلَم يَلقَ إِنسانٌ مِنَ الحُبَّ مَيعَةً

تَعُمُّ وَلا عَمياءَ إِلّا تَجَلَّتِ

تَعُمُّ وَلا عَمياءَ إِلّا تَجَلَّتِ

No one has ever met a surge of love

And no human has found love without

that engulfs, or a blind ordeal, without its clearing.

Becoming blind, once smitten with passion

فَإِنَ سَأَلَ الواشُونَ فِيمَ صَرَمتُها

فَإِنَ سَأَلَ الواشُونَ فِيمَ صَرَمتُها

فَقُل نَفس حُر ّسُلِّيَت فَتَسَلَّتِ

فَقُل نَفس حُر ّسُلِّيَت فَتَسَلَّتِ

If the slanderers ask why I broke with her,

So if the fault-finders ask why I pine for her

say: a free man's soul was consoled and found solace.

Say: a free soul that followed its caprice and then turned away

كَأَنّي أُنادِي صَخرَةً حِينَ أَعرَضَت

كَأَنّي أُنادِي صَخرَةً حِينَ أَعرَضَت

مِن الصُمِّ لو تَمشي بِها العُصمُ زَلَّتِ

مِن الصُمِّ لو تَمشي بِها العُصمُ زَلَّتِ

When she turned away, I seemed to be calling to a rock,

It was as if I called to a rock when she turned away

a solid one, where even ibex would slip if they walked upon it.

Deaf even if mountains had senses, they would slip

صَفوحٌ فَما تَلقاكَ إِلَّا بخيلَةً

صَفوحٌ فَما تَلقاكَ إِلَّا بخيلَةً

فَمَن مَلَّ مِنها ذَلِكِ الوَصلَ مَلَّتِ

فَمَن مَلَّ مِنها ذَلِكِ الوَصلَ مَلَّتِ

Aloof, she meets you only grudgingly;

Clement, but she would not meet you except disdainfully

whoever tires of that bond with her, she tires of him.

So whoever hopes for reunion with her, that hope is futile

أَباحَت حِمًى لَم يَرعَهُ الناسُ قَبلَها

أَباحَت حِمًى لَم يَرعَهُ الناسُ قَبلَها

وَحَلَّت تِلاعًا لَم تَكُن قَبلُ حُلَّتِ

وَحَلَّت تِلاعًا لَم تَكُن قَبلُ حُلَّتِ

She opened a protected pasture no one had grazed before her,

She made lawful what people had not grazed before her

and dwelt in valleys never inhabited before.

And made common what had not been commonly accessible before

فَلَيتَ قَلوصي عِندَ عَزَّةَ قُيِّدَت

فَلَيتَ قَلوصي عِندَ عَزَّةَ قُيِّدَت

بِحَبلٍ ضَعيفٍ غُرَّ مِنها فَضَلَّتِ

بِحَبلٍ ضَعيفٍ غُرَّ مِنها فَضَلَّتِ

If only my young she-camel had been tethered at 'Azza's

Would that my companion were tied to Azizah

with a weak rope, her keeper taken unawares, so she strayed;

With a weak rope - he escaped from her and slipped away

وَغودِرَ في الحَيِّ المُقيمينَ رَحلُها

وَغودِرَ في الحَيِّ المُقيمينَ رَحلُها

وَكانَ لَها باغٍ سِوايَ فَبَلَّتِ

وَكانَ لَها باغٍ سِوايَ فَبَلَّتِ

and her saddle had been left in the encampment of those staying,

The luggage was loaded among the sedentary people, and her tent-ropes

and she had a seeker other than me, and so recovered.

And she had a garden, leveled and filled

وَكُنت كَذي رِجلَينِ رِجلٍ صَحيحَةٍ

وَكُنت كَذي رِجلَينِ رِجلٍ صَحيحَةٍ

وَرِجلٍ رَمى فيها الزَمانُ فَشلَّتِ

وَرِجلٍ رَمى فيها الزَمانُ فَشلَّتِ

I was like someone with two legs: one sound,

And I was like one with two legs - one sound leg

and one that Time had struck and paralyzed.

And one which time had crippled and paralyzed

وَكُنتُ كَذاتِ الظَلعِ لَمّا تَحامَلَت

وَكُنتُ كَذاتِ الظَلعِ لَمّا تَحامَلَت

عَلى ظَلعِها بَعدَ العِثارِ اِستَقَلَّتِ

عَلى ظَلعِها بَعدَ العِثارِ اِستَقَلَّتِ

I was like a lame beast that, when it forced itself onward

And I was like one with a rib when she

despite its limp after stumbling, stood upright.

Persisted upon her rib after stumbling and grew steady

أُريدُ الثَوَاءَ عِندَها وَأَظُنُّها

أُريدُ الثَوَاءَ عِندَها وَأَظُنُّها

إِذا ما أَطَلنا عِندَها المُكثَ مَلَّتِ

إِذا ما أَطَلنا عِندَها المُكثَ مَلَّتِ

I long to stay with her, though I fear that she,

I wish to find comfort in her abode though I think

if we prolong our stay with her, will grow weary.

When we stay long with her, she will be wearied

يُكَلِّفُها الخَنزيرُ شَتمي وَما بِها

يُكَلِّفُها الخَنزيرُ شَتمي وَما بِها

هَواني وَلَكِن لِلمَلِيكِ اِستَذَلَّتِ

هَواني وَلَكِن لِلمَلِيكِ اِستَذَلَّتِ

The pig compels her to insult me; she feels no

The uncouth will make her censure me though she holds

contempt for me, but has submitted to the king.

No contempt for me, but she humbled herself to the King

هَنيئًا مَرِيئًا غَيرَ داءٍ مُخامِرٍ

هَنيئًا مَرِيئًا غَيرَ داءٍ مُخامِرٍ

لِعَزَّةَ مِن أَعراضِنا ما اِستَحَلَّتِ

لِعَزَّةَ مِن أَعراضِنا ما اِستَحَلَّتِ

May it be wholesome and easy to digest, free of lingering illness,

A fine, splendid woman without any secret ailment

for 'Azza—whatever of our honor she has deemed lawful.

None of our honor would Azizah make permissible

وَوَالله ما قارَبت إِلا تَباعَدَت

وَوَالله ما قارَبت إِلا تَباعَدَت

بِصَرمٍ وَلا أَكثَرتُ إِلّا أقلّت

بِصَرمٍ وَلا أَكثَرتُ إِلّا أقلّت

By God, whenever I drew near, she drew away,

By God, I approached her only to have her move farther away

severing ties; whenever I gave more, she gave less.

And the more I increased, the more she diminished

وَلي زَفراتٌ لَو يَدُمنَ قَتَلنَنَي

وَلي زَفراتٌ لَو يَدُمنَ قَتَلنَنَي

تَوالي الَّتي تَأتي المُنى قَد تَوَلَّتِ

تَوالي الَّتي تَأتي المُنى قَد تَوَلَّتِ

I have sighs that, were they to last, would kill me,

And I have sighs, which if prolonged, would kill me

coming one after another, now that hopes have fled.

As those misfortunes come in succession and recede

وَكُنّا سَلَكنا في صَعودٍ مِنَ الهوى

وَكُنّا سَلَكنا في صَعودٍ مِنَ الهوى

فَلَمّا تَوَافَينا ثَبَت وَزَلَّتِ

فَلَمّا تَوَافَينا ثَبَت وَزَلَّتِ

We had climbed an ascent of love;

And we two climbed the ascent of passion together

when we reached it together, I stood firm, and she slipped.

But when we reached the summit, it ceased and slipped

وَكُنّا عَقَدنا عُقدَةَ الوَصلِ بَينَنا

وَكُنّا عَقَدنا عُقدَةَ الوَصلِ بَينَنا

فَلمّا تَواثَقنا شَدَدتُ وَحَلَّتِ

فَلمّا تَواثَقنا شَدَدتُ وَحَلَّتِ

We had tied the knot of union between us;

And we two tied the knot of union between us

when we pledged each other, I tightened it, and she untied it.

But when it was strongly tied, I slackened and released it

فَإِن تَكُنِ العُتبى فَأَهلًا وَمَرحَبًا

فَإِن تَكُنِ العُتبى فَأَهلًا وَمَرحَبًا

وَحُقَّت لَها العُتبَى لَدينا وَقَلَتِ

وَحُقَّت لَها العُتبَى لَدينا وَقَلَتِ

If it is reconciliation, then welcome, most welcome!

So if she reproaches, strangers are welcome

And amends are her due from us, though she has hated us.

Reproach is her right with us, and she reproached little

وَإِن تَكُنِ الأُخرى فَإِنَ وَراءَنا

وَإِن تَكُنِ الأُخرى فَإِنَ وَراءَنا

بِلادًا إِذا كَلَّفتُها العيسَ كَلَّتِ

بِلادًا إِذا كَلَّفتُها العيسَ كَلَّتِ

But if it is the other course, then beyond us lie

But if she is otherwise, then behind us are lands

lands that would weary the pale camels if I made them cross.

When she travels there the evening becomes tiresome

خَليلَيَّ إِن الحاجِبِيَّةَ طَلَّحَت

خَليلَيَّ إِن الحاجِبِيَّةَ طَلَّحَت

قَلوصَيكُما وَناقَتي قَد أَكَلَّتِ

قَلوصَيكُما وَناقَتي قَد أَكَلَّتِ

My two friends, al-Hajibiyya has worn out

My two friends, the Barmakids have destroyed

your two young she-camels; my she-camel too is exhausted.

Your companion and my she-camel, they have ruined her

فَلا يَبعُدَن وَصلٌ لِعَزَّةَ أَصبَحَت

فَلا يَبعُدَن وَصلٌ لِعَزَّةَ أَصبَحَت

بِعَاقِبَةٍ أَسبابُهُ قَد تَوَلَّتِ

بِعَاقِبَةٍ أَسبابُهُ قَد تَوَلَّتِ

May union with 'Azza not perish, though now,

So let no far reunion with Azizah take place

in the end, its bonds have fallen away.

When causes have receded and slipped away

أَسِيئي بِنا أَو أَحسِني لا مَلومَةً

أَسِيئي بِنا أَو أَحسِني لا مَلومَةً

لَدِينا وَلا مَقلِيةً إِن تَقَلَّت

لَدِينا وَلا مَقلِيةً إِن تَقَلَّت

Treat us ill or well: you are not blamed

Treat me badly or treat me well, no blame

by us, nor hated, even if you turn hateful.

Upon us, and no fault if you are sparing

وَلَكِن أَنيلي وَاِذكُري مِن مَودَةٍ

وَلَكِن أَنيلي وَاِذكُري مِن مَودَةٍ

لَنا خُلَّةً كَانَت لَدَيكُم فَضَلَّتِ

لَنا خُلَّةً كَانَت لَدَيكُم فَضَلَّتِ

But grant favors, and remember, out of affection,

But grant me some, and remember some affection

a bond of ours that was in your keeping, then went astray.

You once had for us, which then diminished

وَإِنّي وَإِن صَدَّت لَمُثنٍ وَصادِقٌ

وَإِنّي وَإِن صَدَّت لَمُثنٍ وَصادِقٌ

عَلَيها بِما كانَت إِلَينا أَزَلَّتِ

عَلَيها بِما كانَت إِلَينا أَزَلَّتِ

Though she turns away, I am surely sincere in my praise

Even if she is averse, I speak truthfully

of her, for what she once bestowed upon us.

About what she once was to us, and then turned away

فَما أَنا بِالدَاعي لَعَزَّةَ بِالرَدى

فَما أَنا بِالدَاعي لَعَزَّةَ بِالرَدى

وَلا شامِتٍ إِن نَعلُ عَزَّةَ زَلَّتِ

وَلا شامِتٍ إِن نَعلُ عَزَّةَ زَلَّتِ

I am not one to pray for 'Azza's destruction,

I will not call curses upon Azizah

nor one to gloat if 'Azza's sandal slips.

Nor gloat if Azizah's sandal slips

فَلا يَحسَبِ الواشُونَ أَنَّ صَبابَتي

فَلا يَحسَبِ الواشُونَ أَنَّ صَبابَتي

بِعَزَّةَ كَانَت غَمرَةً فَتَجَلَّتِ

بِعَزَّةَ كَانَت غَمرَةً فَتَجَلَّتِ

Let the slanderers not suppose that my longing

Let not the spies think my passion for Azizah

for 'Azza was a flood that passed away,

Was a cloudburst that then cleared away

فاَصبَحتُ قَد أَبلَلتُ مِن دَنَفٍ بها

فاَصبَحتُ قَد أَبلَلتُ مِن دَنَفٍ بها

كَما أُدنِفَت هَيماءُ ثُمَّ اِستَبَلَّتِ

كَما أُدنِفَت هَيماءُ ثُمَّ اِستَبَلَّتِ

so that I have now recovered from the wasting sickness she caused,

So I became drenched with tears shed over her

as a thirst-stricken she-camel sickened and then recovered.

As the hamaa rainclouds pour and then clear

فَوَالله ثُمَّ الله لا حَلَّ بَعدها

فَوَالله ثُمَّ الله لا حَلَّ بَعدها

وَلاقَبلَها مِن خُلَّةٍ حَيثُ حَلَّتِ

وَلاقَبلَها مِن خُلَّةٍ حَيثُ حَلَّتِ

By God, and by God again, no love has dwelt after her,

By God, by God, none compared before or after her

nor before her, in the place where she dwelt.

Wherever she camped, none like her intimacy slipped away

وَما مَرَّ مِن يَومٍ عَلَيَّ كيومِها

وَما مَرَّ مِن يَومٍ عَلَيَّ كيومِها

وَإِن عَظُمَت أَيامُ أُخرى وَجَلَّتِ

وَإِن عَظُمَت أَيامُ أُخرى وَجَلَّتِ

No day that passed over me was like her day,

And no day passed upon me like her day

though other days were momentous and grand.

Though other days were greater and magnificent

وَحَلَّت بِأَعلى شاهِقٍ مِن فُؤادِهِ

وَحَلَّت بِأَعلى شاهِقٍ مِن فُؤادِهِ

فَلا القَلبُ يَسلاها وَلا النَّفسُ مَلَّتِ

فَلا القَلبُ يَسلاها وَلا النَّفسُ مَلَّتِ

She dwelt upon the loftiest peak of his heart,

And she ascended to the highest peak of his heart

so the heart does not forget her, nor has the soul grown weary.

Neither heart can divert her nor soul grow weary of her

فَوا عَجَبًا لِلقَلبِ كَيفَ اِعتِرافُهُ

فَوا عَجَبًا لِلقَلبِ كَيفَ اِعتِرافُهُ

وَلِلنَفسِ لَمّا وُطِّنَت فَاِطمَأَنَّتِ

وَلِلنَفسِ لَمّا وُطِّنَت فَاِطمَأَنَّتِ

Oh, wonder at the heart—how it confesses—

How remarkable of heart - its confession

and at the soul, which, once steeled, grew calm.

And the soul when accustomed, is tranquil

وَإِنّي وَتَهيامي بِعَزَّةَ بَعدَما

وَإِنّي وَتَهيامي بِعَزَّةَ بَعدَما

تَخّلَّيتُ مِمّا بَينَنا وَتَخَلَّتِ

تَخّلَّيتُ مِمّا بَينَنا وَتَخَلَّتِ

And I, with my infatuation with 'Azza, after

Though I rave madly for Azizah after

I forsook what lay between us, and she forsook it,

We parted, and she went her way

لَكَ المُرتَجي ظِلَّ الغَمامَةِ كُلَّما

لَكَ المُرتَجي ظِلَّ الغَمامَةِ كُلَّما

تَبَوَّأَ مِنها لِلمَقيلِ اِضمَحَلَّتِ

تَبَوَّأَ مِنها لِلمَقيلِ اِضمَحَلَّتِ

am like one hoping for a cloud's shade: whenever

You who hopes for the shade of the clouds, whenever

he settles beneath it for a midday rest, it dissolves.

He takes shelter they shrivel away

كَأَنّي وَإِيّاها سَحابَةُ مُمحِلٍ

كَأَنّي وَإِيّاها سَحابَةُ مُمحِلٍ

رَجاها فَلَمّا جاوزَتهُ اِستَهَلَّتِ

رَجاها فَلَمّا جاوزَتهُ اِستَهَلَّتِ

She and I are like a cloud and a drought-stricken man:

It is as if she and I are a raincloud

he hoped for it, but only after it passed him did it pour.

He hoped for, but when it passed him by, it poured down