كَأَن لَم يَكُن يا أُمَّ حِقَةَ قَبلَ ذا

كَأَن لَم يَكُن يا أُمَّ حِقَةَ قَبلَ ذا

بِمَيطانَ مُصطافٌ لَنا وَمرابِعُ

بِمَيطانَ مُصطافٌ لَنا وَمرابِعُ

As though, O Umm Hiqqah, before this there had never been

As if there was nothing, O mother of Hiqah, before this

At Maytan a summer dwelling for us, and springtime quarters;

At Maytan, a resort for us and dwellings,

وَإِذ نَحنُ في غُصنِ الشَبابِ وَقَد عَسا

وَإِذ نَحنُ في غُصنِ الشَبابِ وَقَد عَسا

بِنا الآنَ إِلّا أَن يُعَوَّضَ جازِعُ

بِنا الآنَ إِلّا أَن يُعَوَّضَ جازِعُ

And when we were on youth's bough, which has grown dry

And while we were in the branch of youth, though now

With us now—save that one who grieves may be recompensed.

Nothing remains for us except what has passed,

فَقَد أَنكَرتَهُ أمُّ حِقّةِ حادِثاً

فَقَد أَنكَرتَهُ أمُّ حِقّةِ حادِثاً

وَأَنكَرَها ما شِئتَ وَالوُدُّ خادِعُ

وَأَنكَرَها ما شِئتَ وَالوُدُّ خادِعُ

For Umm Hiqqah has found him unfamiliar, altered,

So you denied it, O mother of Hiqah, as something new,

And he has found her utterly unfamiliar; love deceives.

And I denied what you wished, and affection is deceitful,

وَلَو آذَنتَنا أُمُّ حِقّةَ إِذ بِنا

وَلَو آذَنتَنا أُمُّ حِقّةَ إِذ بِنا

شَبابٌ وَإِذ لَم تَرُعنا الرَوائِعُ

شَبابٌ وَإِذ لَم تَرُعنا الرَوائِعُ

And had Umm Hiqqah given us notice, when in us

And if you had allowed us, O mother of Hiqah, when with us

There was youth, and when terrors had not frightened us,

Was youth, and when you did not watch over proprieties,

لَقُلنا لَها بَيني بِلَيلٍ حَميدَةً

لَقُلنا لَها بَيني بِلَيلٍ حَميدَةً

كَذاكَ بلا ذَمٍّ تُؤَدّى الوَدائِعُ

كَذاكَ بلا ذَمٍّ تُؤَدّى الوَدائِعُ

We would have said to her: 'Depart by night, with praise;

We would have said to her one dark night,

Thus are entrusted things returned without blame.'

Thus without blame are deposits returned.