تَكادُ بِلادُ اللَهَ يا أُمَّ مَعمَرِ

تَكادُ بِلادُ اللَهَ يا أُمَّ مَعمَرِ

بِما رَحُبَت يَوماً عَلَيَّ تَضيقُ

بِما رَحُبَت يَوماً عَلَيَّ تَضيقُ

God's lands, O Umm Ma‘mar, almost

The lands of my beloved seem to narrow, O mother of Ma'mar,

close in on me one day, vast though they are.

With what they once generously broadened for me.

تُكَذِّبُني بِالوِدِّ لُبنى وَلَيتَها

تُكَذِّبُني بِالوِدِّ لُبنى وَلَيتَها

تُكَلَّفُ مِنّي مِثلَهُ فَتَذوقُ

تُكَلَّفُ مِنّي مِثلَهُ فَتَذوقُ

Lubna disbelieves my love; would that she

They belie me in affection for Lubna - if only

were burdened with the same love for me, and tasted it.

They would take the trouble from me, and experience it!

وَلَو تَعلَمينَ الغَيبَ أَيقَنتِ أَنَّني

وَلَو تَعلَمينَ الغَيبَ أَيقَنتِ أَنَّني

لَكُم وَالهَدايا المُشعَراتِ صَديقُ

لَكُم وَالهَدايا المُشعَراتِ صَديقُ

And if you knew the unseen, you would be certain that I

If you knew the unseen, you would be certain that I

am, by the marked sacrificial beasts, a friend to you all.

Am a true friend to you and your perfumed gifts.

تَتوقُ إِلَيكِ النَفسُ ثُمَّ أَرُدُّها

تَتوقُ إِلَيكِ النَفسُ ثُمَّ أَرُدُّها

حَياءً وَمِثلي بِالحَياءِ حَقيقُ

حَياءً وَمِثلي بِالحَياءِ حَقيقُ

My soul yearns for you, then I turn it back

My soul yearns for you, then I restrain it

out of modesty; and modesty befits one like me.

Out of shyness - and one like me is truly shy.

أَذودُ سَوامَ النَفسِ عَنكِ وَمالَهُ

أَذودُ سَوامَ النَفسِ عَنكِ وَمالَهُ

عَلى أَحَدٍ إِلّا عَلَيكِ طَريقُ

عَلى أَحَدٍ إِلّا عَلَيكِ طَريقُ

I drive my soul's grazing herd away from you, yet it has no

I fend off the evils of the soul from you, and nothing

path to anyone but you.

Has access to you except through me.

فَإِنّي وَإِن حاوَلتِ صَرمي وَهِجرَتي

فَإِنّي وَإِن حاوَلتِ صَرمي وَهِجرَتي

عَلَيكِ مِنَ اِحداثِ الرَدى لَشَفيقُ

عَلَيكِ مِنَ اِحداثِ الرَدى لَشَفيقُ

For I, even if you try to cut me off and abandon me,

So even if you try to sever ties with me and shun me,

still fear for you the calamities of death.

I remain compassionate despite the vicissitudes of fate.

وَلَم أَرَ أَيّاماً كَأَيّامِنا الَّتي

وَلَم أَرَ أَيّاماً كَأَيّامِنا الَّتي

مَرَرنَ عَلَينا وَالزَمانُ أَنيقُ

مَرَرنَ عَلَينا وَالزَمانُ أَنيقُ

And I have seen no days like our days that

I have not seen days like ours, which

passed over us while time was lovely.

Passed upon us while time was elegant.

وَوَعدُكِ إِيّانا وَلَو قُلتِ عاجِلٌ

وَوَعدُكِ إِيّانا وَلَو قُلتِ عاجِلٌ

بَعيدٌ كَما قَد تَعلَمينَ سَحيقُ

بَعيدٌ كَما قَد تَعلَمينَ سَحيقُ

And your promise to us, even if you say it is imminent,

Your promise to us, even if you said "soon"

is far away, as you may know—utterly remote.

Is far off, as you know well enough.

وَحَدَّثتَني يا قَلبُ أَنَّكَ صابِرٌ

وَحَدَّثتَني يا قَلبُ أَنَّكَ صابِرٌ

عَلى البَينِ مِن لُبنى فَسَوفَ تَذوقُ

عَلى البَينِ مِن لُبنى فَسَوفَ تَذوقُ

And you told me, O heart, that you could bear

You told me, O heart, that you are patient

separation from Lubna; so you shall taste it.

With separation from Lubna - so you will experience it!

فَمُت كَمَداً أَو عِش سَقيماً فَإِنَّما

فَمُت كَمَداً أَو عِش سَقيماً فَإِنَّما

تُكَلِّفُني مالا أَراكَ تُطيقُ

تُكَلِّفُني مالا أَراكَ تُطيقُ

So die of grief, or live in sickness, for you only

Die parched or live sickly, for you only

burden me with what I do not think you can bear.

Impose on me what I see you cannot endure.

أَطَعتَ وُشاةً لَم يَكُن لَكَ فيهِمُ

أَطَعتَ وُشاةً لَم يَكُن لَكَ فيهِمُ

خَليلٌ وَلا جارٌ عَلَيكَ شَفيقُ

خَليلٌ وَلا جارٌ عَلَيكَ شَفيقُ

You obeyed slanderers; among them you had no

You obeyed slanderers who were not

close friend, nor a neighbor who cared for you.

Loyal friends or neighbors compassionate to you.

فَإِن تَكُ لَمّا تَسلُ عَنها فَإِنَّني

فَإِن تَكُ لَمّا تَسلُ عَنها فَإِنَّني

بِها مُغرَمٌ صَبُّ الفُؤادِ مَشوقُ

بِها مُغرَمٌ صَبُّ الفُؤادِ مَشوقُ

So if you have not yet forgotten her, then I

If you are not distracted from thoughts of her, then I

am enamored of her, lovesick at heart, full of longing.

Am enamored, with a pouring heart, ardent.

يَهيجُ بِلُبنى الداءُ مِني وَلَم تَزَل

يَهيجُ بِلُبنى الداءُ مِني وَلَم تَزَل

حُشاشَةَ نَفسي لِلخُروجِ تَتوقُ

حُشاشَةَ نَفسي لِلخُروجِ تَتوقُ

My sickness flares because of Lubna, and still

The sickness stirs in me because of Lubna, and my

the last remnant of my soul yearns to depart.

Soul continues to yearn to break free.

بِلُبنى أُنادى عِندَ أَوَّلِ غَشيَةٍ

بِلُبنى أُنادى عِندَ أَوَّلِ غَشيَةٍ

وَلَو كُنتِ بَينَ العائِداتِ أُفيقُ

وَلَو كُنتِ بَينَ العائِداتِ أُفيقُ

They call to me with Lubna's name at the first swoon;

I call upon Lubna at the first unconsciousness,

and if you were among the women visiting me, I would come to.

Even if I wake up among those returning.