قف بوادي العَقر ثم سَل

قف بوادي العَقر ثم سَل

عن ذواتِ الأعينِ النُّجُلِ

عن ذواتِ الأعينِ النُّجُلِ

Stop in the valley of al-‘Aqr, then ask

Stand in the valley of al-‘Aqar then ask

About the women with wide eyes,

About the dark-eyed maidens

عن أصيحابي وما فعلوا

عن أصيحابي وما فعلوا

يومَ زُمَّت للنّوى إبلي

يومَ زُمَّت للنّوى إبلي

About my dear companions and what they did

About my companions, and what they did

On the day my camels were haltered for departure.

On the day when my camel litter was made ready

فعسى ألقى لهم خبراً

فعسى ألقى لهم خبراً

في رُسوم الدَّارِ والطَّللِ

في رُسوم الدَّارِ والطَّللِ

So perhaps I may find some news of them

Perhaps I will find news of them

Among the traces of the dwelling and its ruins.

In the ruins and the desolate abodes

فأنا من بعدهم كلف

فأنا من بعدهم كلف

مُستَهامُ القلبِ في شُغُلِ

مُستَهامُ القلبِ في شُغُلِ

For since they left, I am consumed by love,

For after them I am troubled

Bewildered by love at heart, lost in preoccupation,

With a heart consumed with cares

مُغرم صبٌّ بهم دنف

مُغرم صبٌّ بهم دنف

ودموعُ العينِ تشهدُ لي

ودموعُ العينِ تشهدُ لي

Enamored, yearning for them, sick with love,

I pine for them with yearning

And the tears of my eyes bear witness for me.

And my tears bear witness

قَسما بالحبّ ياشجني

قَسما بالحبّ ياشجني

ومُنى قلبي ويا أمَلي

ومُنى قلبي ويا أمَلي

I swear by love, O my sorrow,

I swear by love, O my torment

And my heart's desires, and O my hope:

And the desire of my heart, O my hope

أم يعودُ الدهرُ يجمعنُا

أم يعودُ الدهرُ يجمعنُا

بين ظلّ الضَّالِ والجبلِ

بين ظلّ الضَّالِ والجبلِ

Or will time return to bring us together

Will time again reunite us

Between the shade of the wild lote trees and the mountain?

Between the shade of the lost ones and the mountain