نَأَت بِسُعادَ عَنكَ نَوىً شَظونُ

نَأَت بِسُعادَ عَنكَ نَوىً شَظونُ

فَبانَت وَالفُؤادُ بِها رَهينُ

فَبانَت وَالفُؤادُ بِها رَهينُ

Far-flung separation carried Su'ad away from you.

I came to you with happy tidings of peace

So she departed, with the heart held captive by her.

And so my heart was captivated by this notion

وَحَلَّت في بَني القَينِ بنُ جَسرٍ

وَحَلَّت في بَني القَينِ بنُ جَسرٍ

فَقَد نَبَغَت لَنا مِنهُم شُؤونُ

فَقَد نَبَغَت لَنا مِنهُم شُؤونُ

And she settled among the sons of al-Qayn, son of Jasr;

The tribe of Banu Qain settled in the land of Bani Jasr

For troubles have arisen for us from them.

And so some affairs arose between us

تَأَوَّبَني بِعَمَّلَةَ اللَواتي

تَأَوَّبَني بِعَمَّلَةَ اللَواتي

مَنَعنَ النَومَ إِذ هَدَأَت عُيونُ

مَنَعنَ النَومَ إِذ هَدَأَت عُيونُ

By night at 'Ammala, I was revisited by the cares

Sleep evaded me as I was possessed by thoughts

That denied me sleep when eyes had grown still.

Of the darling women with elegant gaits

كَأَنَّ الرَحلَ شُدَّ بِهِ خَذوفٌ

كَأَنَّ الرَحلَ شُدَّ بِهِ خَذوفٌ

مِنَ الجَوناتِ هادِيَةٌ عَنونُ

مِنَ الجَوناتِ هادِيَةٌ عَنونُ

As though a fleet wild ass were bound to the saddle,

As if the camel saddle was fastened with straps

One of the dark-coated ones, leading and racing ahead,

Led by docile, young she-camels

مِنَ المُتَعَرِّضاتِ بِعَينِ نَخلٍ

مِنَ المُتَعَرِّضاتِ بِعَينِ نَخلٍ

كَأَنَّ بَياضَ لَبَّتِهِ سَدينُ

كَأَنَّ بَياضَ لَبَّتِهِ سَدينُ

One of those roaming across 'Ayn Nakhl,

Of the women glancing with eyes like palm trees

As though the white of its breast were a white cloth;

As if the whiteness of their shining faces were plates

كَقَوسِ الماسِخيِّ أَرَنَّ فيها

كَقَوسِ الماسِخيِّ أَرَنَّ فيها

مِنَ الشَرعيِّ مَربوعٌ مَتينُ

مِنَ الشَرعيِّ مَربوعٌ مَتينُ

Like al-Masikhi's bow, in which twanged

Like the bow of Masikh twisted and strong

A strong, four-stranded bowstring.

Made of flexible, sturdy wood

إِلى اِبنِ مُحَرَّقٍ أَعمَلتُ نَفسي

إِلى اِبنِ مُحَرَّقٍ أَعمَلتُ نَفسي

وَراحِلَتي وَقَد هَدَتِ العُيونُ

وَراحِلَتي وَقَد هَدَتِ العُيونُ

Toward Ibn Muharraq I drove myself onward,

I headed to the son of Muharraq

And my riding-camel, when eyes had grown still.

My she-camel led the way as my eyes slept

أَتَيتَكَ عارِياً خَلَقاً ثِيابي

أَتَيتَكَ عارِياً خَلَقاً ثِيابي

عَلى خَوفٍ تُظَنَّ بيَ الظَنونُ

عَلى خَوفٍ تُظَنَّ بيَ الظَنونُ

I came to you bare, my clothes threadbare,

I came to you bare of belongings except my clothes

In fear, with suspicions harbored about me.

Fearing suspicions and doubts about me

فَأَلفَيتُ الأَمانَةَ لَم تَخُنها

فَأَلفَيتُ الأَمانَةَ لَم تَخُنها

كَذَلِكَ كانَ نوحٌ لا يَخونُ

كَذَلِكَ كانَ نوحٌ لا يَخونُ

Then I found that you had not betrayed the trust;

But I found you to be trustworthy and did not betray

So too was Noah: he would not betray.

Just as Noah was always true