وقَائلةٍ والرُّعبُ مِلءُ فُؤادِهَا

وقَائلةٍ والرُّعبُ مِلءُ فُؤادِهَا

ونحنُ بوَادي الخَوفِ واللَّيلُ دامِسُ

ونحنُ بوَادي الخَوفِ واللَّيلُ دامِسُ

And a woman cried, terror filling her heart:

A woman said, terror filling her heart,

“We are in the Valley of Fear, and the night is pitch-black.

while we were in the valley of fear and the night was pitch-dark:

لقد أدرَكَتنَا الخيلُ تحتَ فوَارِسٍ

لقد أدرَكَتنَا الخيلُ تحتَ فوَارِسٍ

ألاَ انجُ بنا قد أدركَتنَا الفوَارسُ

ألاَ انجُ بنا قد أدركَتنَا الفوَارسُ

The horses have overtaken us, with riders on their backs!

The horses have caught up with us, bearing horsemen!

Quick—carry us to safety! The horsemen have caught us!”

Come, flee with us! The horsemen have caught up with us!

فَمسَّحتُ عن أعطافِها باتسَامَةٍ

فَمسَّحتُ عن أعطافِها باتسَامَةٍ

ويَبسِمُ ثَغرُ المرءِ والقلبُ عَابسُ

ويَبسِمُ ثَغرُ المرءِ والقلبُ عَابسُ

So with a smile I brushed the fear from her shoulders—

So with a smile I brushed the fear from her shoulders;

a man’s mouth may smile while his heart is frowning.

a man's lips smile while his heart frowns.

أنا مَن يَخافُ اللَّيلَ والفقرُ يابسٌ

أنا مَن يَخافُ اللَّيلَ والفقرُ يابسٌ

ويَخشَاهُ ذو بَغي ويَرجُوه يائسُ

ويَخشَاهُ ذو بَغي ويَرجُوه يائسُ

I am one whom night itself fears, while poverty stands gaunt;

I am one who fears the night, and poverty is parched;

the tyrant fears me, and the despairing hopes in me.

and a wrongdoer fears him, while one in despair hopes in him.

صَحِبت بني قومِي فلمَّا بلَوتُهم

صَحِبت بني قومِي فلمَّا بلَوتُهم

I kept company with my own people; once I had tested them,

I kept company with my people's sons, and when I tested them—

فَألسُنهُم إن غبتُ عَنهمُ قوارِصٌ

فَألسُنهُم إن غبتُ عَنهمُ قوارِصٌ

وأبصارُهم عندَ الحضورِ نَواكِسُ

وأبصارُهم عندَ الحضورِ نَواكِسُ

their tongues, whenever I was absent, were barbed,

their tongues are biting if I am absent from them,

but in my presence their eyes were lowered.

and their eyes are downcast in my presence.

فَيقصِدُني بالقولِ مُبدٍ تَحامُسا

فَيقصِدُني بالقولِ مُبدٍ تَحامُسا

ويُضحِكُني واللهِذاك التحامُس

ويُضحِكُني واللهِذاك التحامُس

One confronts me with words, putting on a show of bravado,

Then someone directs his words at me, displaying bravado,

and, by God, that bravado makes me laugh.

and, by God, that bravado makes me laugh.

فقدتُ صَوابي عندَ رُؤيةِ حُسنِهَا

فقدتُ صَوابي عندَ رُؤيةِ حُسنِهَا

ويُذهبُ نُسكَ النَّاسِكين الأوَانِسُ

ويُذهبُ نُسكَ النَّاسِكين الأوَانِسُ

I lost my senses at the sight of her beauty;

I lost my senses at the sight of her beauty,

and charming women undo the devotion of the devout.

and maidens rob ascetics of their devotion.