ما سَمِعنا بخَيمةٍ تَسعُ البَح

ما سَمِعنا بخَيمةٍ تَسعُ البَح

رَ وقَد حَلَّ هذِهِ البَحرانِ

رَ وقَد حَلَّ هذِهِ البَحرانِ

Never have we heard of a tent capacious enough for the sea—

We never heard of a tent holding two seas,

—yet here these two seas have alighted.

Yet these two princes have pitched theirs.

ضُربَت في عُلا الأمِيرَين في

ضُربَت في عُلا الأمِيرَين في

جودِ رَبيبٍ وفي نَدَى نَبهانِ

جودِ رَبيبٍ وفي نَدَى نَبهانِ

It was pitched upon the eminence of the two princes: in

One in the judicious liberality of Rabi’,

Rabib’s generosity and Nabhan’s munificence.

The other in the dew of Nabhan.

لو تَكونُ الخِيامُ تَنطقُ يَوماً

لو تَكونُ الخِيامُ تَنطقُ يَوماً

لجَرَت هذِهِ بكلِّ لِسانِ

لجَرَت هذِهِ بكلِّ لِسانِ

If tents could one day speak,

If only tents could one day speak,

this one would be upon every tongue.

This one would flow with every tongue.