جُنَّ قَلبي بِذِكرِ أُمِّ الغُلامِ
يَومَ قالَت لَنا لِجُوا بِسَلامِ
My heart is possessed by the memory of Umm Al-Ghalam
The day she bid us goodbye and depart in peace
زَيَّنَت لي شَواكِلي كُلَّ لَهوٍ
ذاتُ لَوثٍ مِنَ الصَباحِ الوِسام
She adorned my trifles and meaningless distractions
An essence of grace from the beautiful morning
رُبَّما مِثلَها تَسَدَّيتُ وَهناً
بَعدَ فَترٍ وَتَحتَ داجي الظَلامِ
I may have dozed here feeling tired
After a pause, under the shade of darkness
ثُمَّ نَبَّهتُها فَهَبَّت كَسُولاً
فاهَةً ما تُبِينُ رَجعَ الكَلامِ
Then she woke me up and I jumped startled
Mute, unable to find words to respond
ساعَةً ثُمَّ إِنَّها بَعدُ قالَت
وَيلَتا قَد عَجلتَ يا بنَ الكِرامِ
After a while she said to me
“Alas you’ve been quick, O noble one!”
أَعلى غَيرِ مَوعِدٍ جِئتَ تَسري
تَتَخطّى إِلى رؤوسِ النِيام
“Without appointing a time, you came rushing
Stepping over the heads of those asleep”
عَذَلتِني فَقُلتُ لا تَعذُليني
وَدَعي اللَومَ وَاقصِدي في المَلامِ
She reproached me and I said “don’t reproach me
Stop blaming and direct me gently”
قَد تَجَشَّمتُ ما تَرَينَ مِنَ الهَو
لِ وَما جِئتُ هَهُنا لِخِصامِ
I’ve endured what you see of bewilderment
And I did not come here to argue
فَارعَوَت بَعدَ نَفرَةٍ نَفَرَتها
بِسُكُونٍ وَهَمزَةٍ وَاِبتِسامِ
Then she smiled after her initial frown
With composure, a gesture, and a smile
وَعَلى الباب ذي الشَفِيقَةِ سُعدى
لا أَرى مِثلَها مِنَ الخُدّامِ
Near the door was good fortune’s maid
None like her among all the maids
كُلَّما صَفَّقَت وَثَبنَ إِلَيها
كَقِيامِ الشُرطِيِّ عِندَ الإِمامِ
Every time she clapped, she leapt up to her
Like the rise of the imam during prayer
يَتَسَوَّكنَ قَبلَ كُلِّ طَعامٍ
وَاسِعاتُ الجُيوبِ وَالأَكمامِ
Calm before every meal
With ample robe and sleeves
حَبَّذا هُنَّ حَيثُ كُنَّ مِنَ الأَر
ضِ وَلَو بَينَ زَمزَمٍ وَالمَقامِ
How wonderful they are wherever they are
Even between Zamzam and the Kaaba
