سَلُوا هَل سَلا عنكُم مِحبٌّ دُمُوعهُ

سَلُوا هَل سَلا عنكُم مِحبٌّ دُمُوعهُ

لما فيكمُ وجداً تَحِنُّ ضُلوعهُ

لما فيكمُ وجداً تَحِنُّ ضُلوعهُ

Ask whether a lover has ceased yearning for you—his tears

Ask if a lover has cried for you,

are for what is in you; his ribs ache with longing.

His tears flowing as he yearns.

فَلاَ تَعدِلُوا عنهُ حديثَ هواكُم

فَلاَ تَعدِلُوا عنهُ حديثَ هواكُم

فَما قلبُهُ فيما سواكُم مطُيعهُ

فَما قلبُهُ فيما سواكُم مطُيعهُ

So do not turn talk of loving you away from him;

Do not turn from speaking of your love,

for his heart will not obey him in anything but you.

For nothing else makes his heart obey.

فَولاكمُ ما هاجهُ من دِيَارِكُم

فَولاكمُ ما هاجهُ من دِيَارِكُم

بُرَيقٌ على نَجدٍ خَفيِّ لَمُوعهُ

بُرَيقٌ على نَجدٍ خَفيِّ لَمُوعهُ

But for you, from your lands he would not have been stirred by

Your land drew him from his home,

a little lightning-flash over Najd, its gleam faint.

A breeze over Najd, softly blowing.

وَلاَ بعَثَ البانُ التُّهاميُّ مَوهِناً

وَلاَ بعَثَ البانُ التُّهاميُّ مَوهِناً

إِليه نَسيَماً فاعَتراهُ ولوعُهُ

إِليه نَسيَماً فاعَتراهُ ولوعُهُ

Nor would the ban tree of Tihamah have sent, late at night,

The passionate south wind sent no coward

a breeze to him, whereupon his longing seized him.

To him, though longing filled him with sadness.

إذا شِئتمُ أن تَعرفوا دمَنَ الهَوَى

إذا شِئتمُ أن تَعرفوا دمَنَ الهَوَى

فَقَلبي لكَم سَاحَاتهُ ورُبُوعهُ

فَقَلبي لكَم سَاحَاتهُ ورُبُوعهُ

If you wish to know the ruins of love,

If you wish to know the pain of love,

then my heart is its courtyards and dwelling places for you.

My heart is open to you, its valleys and hills.

وكلُّ فؤادٍ فيكمُ وَغرامُهُ

وكلُّ فؤادٍ فيكمُ وَغرامُهُ

كَمَا كُلُّ طَرفٍ فيكمُ ودُموعُهُ

كَمَا كُلُّ طَرفٍ فيكمُ ودُموعُهُ

And every heart and its passion are for you,

Each heart in love with you

just as every eye and its tears are for you.

Is like each eye pouring its tears.

أجيرانَ سَلعٍ هَل إِلى طيبِ وَصلِكمُ

أجيرانَ سَلعٍ هَل إِلى طيبِ وَصلِكمُ

سبيلٌ لمن فِيكم يَعِزُّ هُجوعُهُ

سبيلٌ لمن فِيكم يَعِزُّ هُجوعُهُ

O neighbors of Salʿ, is there, to sweet union with you,

People of virtue, can I reach your sweet company,

a path for one whose sleep eludes him because of you?

When my longing leaves me dejected?

مُحبُّ متى ما سَاءَلَ الرَّكبَ عَنكمُ

مُحبُّ متى ما سَاءَلَ الرَّكبَ عَنكمُ

غَدا الرَّكبُ مُشَتاقاً إِليكم جُموعُهُ

غَدا الرَّكبُ مُشَتاقاً إِليكم جُموعُهُ

A lover—whenever he questions the caravan about you,

Whenever a lover asked about you,

the caravan's entire company comes to yearn for you.

The next day crowds came, craving you.

لَهُ نَفَسٌ يَدعو إليكم وما رأَى

لَهُ نَفَسٌ يَدعو إليكم وما رأَى

لحَملِ هَواكم غَيَرهُ يستطيعُهُ

لحَملِ هَواكم غَيَرهُ يستطيعُهُ

He has a breath that calls to you, and he has not seen

His soul calls to you though he has not seen

anyone but himself able to bear the burden of love for you.

Any but you able to bear his passion.

وَحقِّكِمُ لا حَالَ يَوماً ولا سَخاَ

وَحقِّكِمُ لا حَالَ يَوماً ولا سَخاَ

بِحسنِكُمُ طَرفٌ وأَنتم رَبِيعُهُ

بِحسنِكُمُ طَرفٌ وأَنتم رَبِيعُهُ

By your right, no eye has ever turned away or willingly parted

By your virtue no eye or day

with your beauty—and you are its springtime.

Passes without you as its spring.