هَل تَعرِفُ الرَبعَ مُقفِراً خَلَقا

هَل تَعرِفُ الرَبعَ مُقفِراً خَلَقا

أَضحى كَبُردِ اليَمانِ قَد سَحَقا

أَضحى كَبُردِ اليَمانِ قَد سَحَقا

Do you recognize the encampment, deserted and worn?

Do you know the empty quarter, devoid of people

It has become like a Yemeni's cloak, worn threadbare.

It has become like the intense cold of Yemen, crushed

كَأَنَّما البَدرُ لاحَ صورَتُهُ

كَأَنَّما البَدرُ لاحَ صورَتُهُ

حينَ تَأَمَّلتُ الجيدَ وَالعُنُقا

حينَ تَأَمَّلتُ الجيدَ وَالعُنُقا

It was as though the full moon's image shone forth

As if the full moon, its image appeared

when I gazed at her throat and neck.

When I gazed upon the cheek and the nape

قالَت لِمَولاتِها اِذهَبي فَسَلي

قالَت لِمَولاتِها اِذهَبي فَسَلي

إِن كانَ قَبلَ الرَواحِ مُنطَلِقا

إِن كانَ قَبلَ الرَواحِ مُنطَلِقا

She said to her maid, "Go, then ask

She said to her mistress, go ask him

whether he is setting out before evening.

If he will leave before dawn

هَل يَأتِيَنّا الفَتى نُعاتِبُهُ

هَل يَأتِيَنّا الفَتى نُعاتِبُهُ

وَلَو أَتانا الرَواحَ ما خَرِقا

وَلَو أَتانا الرَواحَ ما خَرِقا

Will the young man come to us, so we may reproach him?

Will the young man come to us, so we can reproach him

And even if he came to us at evening, he would not be flustered."

Even if he came at dawn, he would not tear anything

لَمّا أَتاني الرَسولُ مُكتَتِماً

لَمّا أَتاني الرَسولُ مُكتَتِماً

أَقبَلتُ أَمشي وَالنَجمُ قَد خَفَقا

أَقبَلتُ أَمشي وَالنَجمُ قَد خَفَقا

When the messenger came to me in secret,

When the messenger came to me, concealing

I came walking, and the star had already set.

I started walking as the star flickered

شَمَّرتُ بُردي لَها وَشَيَّعَني

شَمَّرتُ بُردي لَها وَشَيَّعَني

قَلبٌ إِذا كانَ مَشهَدٌ صَدَقا

قَلبٌ إِذا كانَ مَشهَدٌ صَدَقا

I hitched up my cloak for her, and escorting me was

I rolled up my sleeve for her and she escorted me

a heart that proved true whenever an encounter arose.

A heart, if the scene is true, was sincere