أَلا هَل إِلى شَمِّ الخُزامى وَنَظرَةٍ

أَلا هَل إِلى شَمِّ الخُزامى وَنَظرَةٍ

إِلى قَرقَري قَبلَ المَماتِ سَبيلُ

إِلى قَرقَري قَبلَ المَماتِ سَبيلُ

Ah, is there a way to smell the lavender and cast a glance

Alas! Is there no way to smell the scent of Khuzam,

toward Qarqarī before death?

And to look upon Al-Qirqir before death comes my way?

فَأَشرَبَ مِن ماءِ الحُجَيلاءِ شَربَةٍ

فَأَشرَبَ مِن ماءِ الحُجَيلاءِ شَربَةٍ

يُداوي بِها قَبلَ المَماتِ عَليلُ

يُداوي بِها قَبلَ المَماتِ عَليلُ

So I may drink a draught of al-Ḥujaylāʾ's water,

That I may drink of the spring of Al-Hujaila a draft

with which an ailing man may heal himself before death.

To cure me before death of what made me frail.

فَيا أَثَلاتِ القاعِ قَد مَلَّ صُحبَتي

فَيا أَثَلاتِ القاعِ قَد مَلَّ صُحبَتي

مَسيري فَهَل في ظِلِّكُنَّ مَقيلُ

مَسيري فَهَل في ظِلِّكُنَّ مَقيلُ

So, O tamarisks of the plain, my company has wearied

O groves of the valley, I am weary of company,

my wandering; is there a midday resting place in your shade?

Is there in your shade a place for me to rest my trail?

وَيا أَثَلاتِ القاعِ ظاهِرُ ما بَدا

وَيا أَثَلاتِ القاعِ ظاهِرُ ما بَدا

بِجِسمي عَلى ما في الفُؤادِ دَليلُ

بِجِسمي عَلى ما في الفُؤادِ دَليلُ

And O tamarisks of the plain, the outward signs that have appeared

O groves of the valley, plain is what shows

on my body are evidence of what lies in my heart.

Of my body, compared to what my heart does conceal.

وَيا أَثَلاتِ القاعِ مِن بَينِ توضِحٍ

وَيا أَثَلاتِ القاعِ مِن بَينِ توضِحٍ

حَنيني إِلى أَفيائِكُنَّ طَويلُ

حَنيني إِلى أَفيائِكُنَّ طَويلُ

And O tamarisks of the plain, from the midst of Tūḍiḥ,

O groves of the valley, after long separation

my yearning for your shades is long.

My yearning for your faithful shade is long.

وَيا أَثَلاتِ القاعِ قَلبي مُوَكَّلٌ

وَيا أَثَلاتِ القاعِ قَلبي مُوَكَّلٌ

بِكُنَّ وَجَدوى خَيرِكُنَّ قَليلُ

بِكُنَّ وَجَدوى خَيرِكُنَّ قَليلُ

And O tamarisks of the plain, my heart is bound

O groves of the valley, my heart is left behind

to you, yet the benefit of your goodness is little.

With you, though the good of you is little to find.

أَرومُ اِنحِداراً نَحوَها فَيَرُدُّني

أَرومُ اِنحِداراً نَحوَها فَيَرُدُّني

وَيَمنَعُني دَينٌ عَلَيَّ ثَقيلُ

وَيَمنَعُني دَينٌ عَلَيَّ ثَقيلُ

I seek to descend toward her, but what turns me back

I wish to descend the slopes towards it but faith

and holds me back is a heavy debt upon me.

Heavy upon me prevents and forbids.

أُحَدِّثُ عَنكِ النَفسَ إِذ لَستُ راجِعاً

أُحَدِّثُ عَنكِ النَفسَ إِذ لَستُ راجِعاً

إِلَيكَ فَحُزني في الفُؤادِ دَخيلُ

إِلَيكَ فَحُزني في الفُؤادِ دَخيلُ

I speak to my soul of you, since I am not returning

I talk to myself of you since I'll not return,

to you; so my sorrow is lodged within my heart.

So my sadness within my heart becomes entrenched.