أَلا حَيِّ لُبنى اليَومَ إِن كُنتَ غادِياً
وَأَلمِم بِها مِن قَبلِ أَن لا تَلاقِيا
Oh the living one! If you are going to Labuna today,
Send her my regards before you meet her,
وَأَهدي لَها مِنكَ النَصيحَةَ إِنَّها
قَليلٌ وَلا تَخشَ الوُشاةَ الأَدانِيا
And give her sincere advice from me though it be little,
Fear not the slanderers however mean they are.
وَقُل إِنَّني الراقِصاتِ إِلى مِناً
بِأَجبُلِ جَمعٍ يَنتَظِرنَ المُنادِيا
Say: I yearn for the dancing maidens in the hills of Jemmah,
Where they await the announcer's call.
أَصونُكِ عَن بَعضِ الأُمورِ مَضَنَّةً
وَأَخشى عَلَيكِ الكاشِحينَ الأَعادِيا
I keep you from some troublesome affairs,
And fear for you the hostile aggressors.
تَساقَطُ نَفسي حينَ أَلقاكِ أَنفُساً
يَرِدنَ فَما يَصدُرنَ إِلّا صَوادِيا
My soul falls when I see you downcast,
Returning with only woeful tidings.
فَإِن أَحيَ أَو أَهلِك فَلَستُ بِزائِلٍ
لَكَم حافِظاً ما بَلَّ ريقٌ لِسانِيا
Whether I live or perish, I'll not cease to be,
For long, your vigilant keeper though my tongue goes dry.
أَقولُ إِذا نَفسي مِنَ الوَجدِ أَصعَدَت
بِها زَفرَةٌ تَعتادُني هِيَ ما هِيا
When passion makes my soul ascend, I say
A sigh besieges me, oh what is it!
وَبَينَ الحَشا وَالنَحرِ مِنّي حَرارَةٌ
وَلَوعَةُ وَجدٍ تَترُكُ القَلبَ ساهِيا
Between my throat and bosom is a heat from me,
And a burning desire leaving my heart distracted.
أَلا لَيتَ لُبنى لَم تَكُن لِيَ خُلَّةً
وَلَم تَرَني لُبنى وَلَم أَدرِ ما هِيا
Oh, would that Labuna were not my confidante!
Would that Labuna had not seen me, nor knew what I was!
سَلي الناسَ هَل خَبَّرتُ سِرَّكِ مِنهُمُ
أَخا ثِقَةٍ أَو ظاهِرَ الغِشِّ بادِيا
Ask the people: did I confide your secret to them?
To a trusted brother or a treacherous foe?
وَأَخرُجُ مِن بَينِ البُيوتِ لَعَلَّني
أُحَدِّثُ عَنكِ النَفسَ في السِرِّ خالِيا
I go from house to house, perhaps I may
Unburden my soul in secret when alone.
وَإِنّي لَأَستَغشي وَما بِيَ نَعسَةٌ
لَعَلَّ خَيالاً مِنكِ يَلقى خَيالِيا
Though I have no drowsiness, I cover my face,
Hoping your phantom comes to meet mine.
يَقولُ لِيَ الواشونَ لَمّا تَظاهَروا
عَلَيكِ وَأَضحى الحَبلُ لِلبَينِ واهِيا
Those who censured you when we broke apart said:
By my life! Today you bear what you see!
لَعَمري لَقَبلَ اليَومِ حُمِّلتَ ما تَرى
وَأُنذِرتَ مِن لُبنى الَّذي كُنتَ لاقِيا
And you were warned of Labuna whom once you sought.
