هَل لِلدِيارِ بِأَهلِها عِلمُ

هَل لِلدِيارِ بِأَهلِها عِلمُ

أَم هَل تُبينُ فَيَنطِقُ الرَسمُ

أَم هَل تُبينُ فَيَنطِقُ الرَسمُ

Do the dwellings have knowledge of their people?

Do homes know their people, I wonder,

Or do they speak plainly, so that the traces speak?

Or does the drawing speak, made eloquent?

قالَت سُكَينَةُ فيمَ تَصرِمُنا

قالَت سُكَينَةُ فيمَ تَصرِمُنا

أَسُكَينُ لَيسَ لِوَجهِكِ الصَرمُ

أَسُكَينُ لَيسَ لِوَجهِكِ الصَرمُ

Sukayna said, “Why do you forsake us?”

Serenity said, why do you oppose us?

O Sukayn, your face is not one to be forsaken.

I am serene; do not frown at me.

تَخطو بِخَلخالَينِ حَشوُهُما

تَخطو بِخَلخالَينِ حَشوُهُما

ساقانِ مارَ عَلَيهِما اللَحمُ

ساقانِ مارَ عَلَيهِما اللَحمُ

She steps wearing two anklets, enclosing

You step with two anklets filled

two calves upon which the flesh sways.

With legs of a snake slithering over them.

يا صاحِ هَل أَبكاكَ مَوقِفُنا

يا صاحِ هَل أَبكاكَ مَوقِفُنا

أَم هَل عَلَينا في البُكا إِثمُ

أَم هَل عَلَينا في البُكا إِثمُ

O friend, has our halt made you weep?

Oh companion, did our stance make you weep

Or is there sin upon us in weeping?

Or does weeping over us hold blame?

أَم ما بُكاؤُكَ مَنزِلاً خَلَقاً

أَم ما بُكاؤُكَ مَنزِلاً خَلَقاً

قَفراً يَلوحُ كَأَنَّهُ وَشمُ

قَفراً يَلوحُ كَأَنَّهُ وَشمُ

Or why do you weep over a worn-out dwelling,

Or is your weeping not for a deserted place

desolate, appearing as though it were a tattoo?

Bleak, looming as if it were a tattoo?