لَعَمرُكَ أَنَّني لَأَحِبُّ سَلعاً

لَعَمرُكَ أَنَّني لَأَحِبُّ سَلعاً

لِرُؤيَتِها وَمَن بِجَنوبِ سَلعِ

لِرُؤيَتِها وَمَن بِجَنوبِ سَلعِ

By your life, I truly love Salʿ—

By your life, I do indeed love Salʿ,

for the sight of her, and the one who dwells beside Salʿ.

for the sight of her, and whoever is south of Salʿ.

تَقَرُّ بِقُربِهِ عَيني وَإِنّي

تَقَرُّ بِقُربِهِ عَيني وَإِنّي

لَأَخشى أَن يَكونَ يُريدُ فَجعي

لَأَخشى أَن يَكونَ يُريدُ فَجعي

Her nearness brings contentment to my eye, yet I

My eye finds comfort in its nearness, yet I

fear that he may be seeking to leave me bereft.

surely fear that it may wish to bereave me.

حَلَفتُ بِرَبِّ مَكَّةَ وَالمُصَلّى

حَلَفتُ بِرَبِّ مَكَّةَ وَالمُصَلّى

وَأَيدي السابِحاتِ غَداةَ جَمعِ

وَأَيدي السابِحاتِ غَداةَ جَمعِ

I have sworn by the Lord of Mecca and the prayer-ground,

I swore by the Lord of Mecca and the prayer ground,

and by the forelegs of coursing mares at dawn in Jamʿ:

and by the forelegs of the swift steeds on the morning at Jamʿ:

لَأَنتِ عَلى التَناءِ فَاِعلَميهِ

لَأَنتِ عَلى التَناءِ فَاِعلَميهِ

أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِن بَصَري وَسَمعي

أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِن بَصَري وَسَمعي

you—though we are far apart, know this—

Surely you, despite the distance—know this—

are dearer to me than my sight and hearing.

are dearer to me than my sight and hearing.