تُرَى يَا جِيرَةَ الشِّعْبِ

تُرَى يَا جِيرَةَ الشِّعْبِ

يُسَرُّ بِوَصْلِكُمْ قَلْبِي

يُسَرُّ بِوَصْلِكُمْ قَلْبِي

I wonder, O neighbors of the mountain pass,

I wonder, O neighbors of the ravine,

will my heart rejoice in reunion with you?

will my heart be gladdened by union with you,

وَتَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا دَارٌ

وَتَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا دَارٌ

عَلى الإِكْرَامِ وَالرَّحْبِ

عَلى الإِكْرَامِ وَالرَّحْبِ

Will one abode gather us together

and will a dwelling bring us together

in honor and generous welcome?

with honor and welcome?

أُهَيْلَ الحَيِّ وَا عَطَشِي

أُهَيْلَ الحَيِّ وَا عَطَشِي

لِذَاكَ المَنْهَلِ العَذْبِ

لِذَاكَ المَنْهَلِ العَذْبِ

Dear people of the encampment—ah, my thirst

O dear folk of the encampment—ah, my thirst

for that sweet watering place!

for that sweet watering place!

وَيَا شَوْقِي إلى عَيْشٍ

وَيَا شَوْقِي إلى عَيْشٍ

مَضَى فِي ظِلِّهِ الرَّحْبِ

مَضَى فِي ظِلِّهِ الرَّحْبِ

Oh, how I long for a life

And oh, my longing for a life

once spent beneath its ample shade,

that passed beneath its spacious shade!

وَأَيّامٍ بِلاَ عَتْبٍ

وَأَيّامٍ بِلاَ عَتْبٍ

تَقَضَّتْ فِي هَوَى عُتْبِ

تَقَضَّتْ فِي هَوَى عُتْبِ

and for days without reproach

And for days without reproach,

that passed in loving ʿUtb.

that passed in love for ʿUtb!

إِذَا ذُكِرَتْ لَيالِيهِ

إِذَا ذُكِرَتْ لَيالِيهِ

تَهِيجُ لَوَاعِجُ الصَّبَ

تَهِيجُ لَوَاعِجُ الصَّبَ

Whenever its nights are recalled,

Whenever its nights are recalled,

the lover’s burning pangs flare up;

the lover's burning pangs flare up.

وَيُحْيِي قَلْبَ عَاشِقِهِ

وَيُحْيِي قَلْبَ عَاشِقِهِ

حَدِيث نَسِيمِهِ الرَّطْبِ

حَدِيث نَسِيمِهِ الرَّطْبِ

and the tale of its moist breeze

And the heart of its lover is revived

revives the heart of one who loves it.

by talk of its moist breeze.

وَمُحْتَجِبٍ تَبَسُّمُّهُ

وَمُحْتَجِبٍ تَبَسُّمُّهُ

يُمَزِّقُ ظُلْمَةَ الحُجْبِ

يُمَزِّقُ ظُلْمَةَ الحُجْبِ

And a veiled beloved whose smile

And a veiled one whose smile

tears through the darkness of the veils—

rends the darkness of the veils,

يُصَانُ حِمَاهُ بِالاِجْلاَلِ

يُصَانُ حِمَاهُ بِالاِجْلاَلِ

لاَ بِالسُّمْرِ وَالقُضْبِ

لاَ بِالسُّمْرِ وَالقُضْبِ

his sanctuary is guarded by awe,

whose sanctuary is guarded by reverence,

not by dusky spears and swords.

not by tawny spears and swords;

مِنَ الأَقْمَارِ مَنْزِلَتَاهُ

مِنَ الأَقْمَارِ مَنْزِلَتَاهُ

فِي طَرْفِي وَفِي قُلْبِي

فِي طَرْفِي وَفِي قُلْبِي

Among the moons, his two abodes

one of the moons—his two abodes

are in my eyes and in my heart.

are in my gaze and in my heart.

وَظَبْيِّ نَقاً وَبِالأسْرَارِ

وَظَبْيِّ نَقاً وَبِالأسْرَارِ

يَأْنَسُ لَيْسَ بالْسرْبِ

يَأْنَسُ لَيْسَ بالْسرْبِ

And a gazelle of Naqā, at home with mysteries,

And a dune gazelle—with secrets

finds companionship not among the herd.

he finds companionship, not with the herd.