لِمَن ضَوءُ نارٍ قابَلَت أَعَينَ الرَكبِ

لِمَن ضَوءُ نارٍ قابَلَت أَعَينَ الرَكبِ

تَشَبُّ بِلَدنِ العودِ وَالمَندِلِ الرَطبِ

تَشَبُّ بِلَدنِ العودِ وَالمَندِلِ الرَطبِ

Whose is the glow of a fire that met the riders’ eyes,

Who is it for whom the light of a fire welcomed the eyes of the caravan

blazing with pliant aloeswood and moist sandalwood?

Resembling the soft scent of aloewood and wet kerchief

فَقُلتُ لَقَد آنَستُ ناراً كَأَنَّها

فَقُلتُ لَقَد آنَستُ ناراً كَأَنَّها

صَفا كَوكَبٍ لاحَت فَحَنَّ لَها قَلبي

صَفا كَوكَبٍ لاحَت فَحَنَّ لَها قَلبي

So I said, “Indeed, I have sighted a fire, as though it were

So I said verily I have encountered a fire as though it were

a star’s clear radiance; it shone, and my heart yearned for it.”

The radiance of a star that appeared and for it my heart yearned