أَلا حَيِّ دارَ الهاجِرِيَّةِ بِالزُرقِ

وَأَحبِب بِها داراً عَلى البُعدِ وَالسُحقِ

O dweller of the blue abode of migrant birds, love it

Though from afar afflicted and rent with yearning.

سَقَتكِ الغَوادي هَل بِرَبعِكِ قاطِنٌ

أَمِ الحَيُّ ساروا نَحوَ فَيحانَ فَالعَمقِ

Has the valley quenched your thirst? Does a neighbor reside

In your quarter or have they left towards the depths?

فَقَد كُنتِ إِذ لَيلى تَحُلُّكِ مَرَّةً

لَنا بِكِ شَوقٌ غَيرُ طَرقٍ وَلا رَنقِ

Whenever Leila graces you, you become ours,

With desire beyond all roads and fatigue.

أَلا قُل لِبَرّادٍ إِذا ما لَقيتَهُ

وَبَيِّن لَهُ إِنَّ البَيانَ مِنَ الصِدقِ

Say to the postman, whenever you meet him,

Make clear that clarity is from truthfulness.

أَحَقٌّ بَلاغاتٌ أَتَتني مَشابِهاً

وَبَيِّن لَهُ إِنَّ البَيانَ مِنَ الصِدقِ

Is it truer than eloquent messages that came to me resembling each other?

Make clear that clarity is from truthfulness.

فَإِيّاكَ لا تَبدُر إِلَيكَ قَصيدَةٌ

تُغَنّي بِها الرُكبانُ في الغَربِ وَالشَرقِ

Beware lest an ode comes to you

That travelers in East and West sing with.

فَلَولا أَبو زَيدٍ وَزَيدٌ أَكَلتُمُ

جَنى ما اِجتَنَيتُم مِن مَريرٍ وَمِن حَذقِ

If it weren’t for Abu Zayd and Zayd you would have eaten

The harvest you did not reap of bitterness and skill.

بَني أَرقَمٍ لا توعِدوني فَإِنَّني

أَرى لَكُمُ حَقّاً فَلا تَجهَلوا حَقّي

O Bani Arqam do not threaten me, for I

See you have a right, so do not disregard mine,

وَرُبّوا الَّذي بَيني وَبَينَ قَديمِكُم

وَكُفّوا الأَذى عَنّي يَلِن لَكُمُ خُلقي

And bridge what lies between me and your elders

And spare me harm, so my manners will soften towards you

فَإِنّي لَسَهلٌ لِلصَديقِ مُلاطِفٌ

وَلِلكاشِحِ العادي شَجاً داخِلَ الحَلقِ

For I am easygoing with a friend, gentle,

And to an attacking enemy, sharp within the throat.