أَشِر يا اِبنَ عَمّي في سَلامَةَ ما تَرى

أَشِر يا اِبنَ عَمّي في سَلامَةَ ما تَرى

لَنا وَتَبَدّيها لِتَسلُبَني عَقلي

لَنا وَتَبَدّيها لِتَسلُبَني عَقلي

Counsel me, cousin, on Salama—what you think best

Be warned, my cousin, of what you see as safe

for us—and on her showing herself to rob me of my reason,

And reveal it to me, that you may rob me of my reason

عَلى حينِ لاحَ الشيبُ وَاِستُنكِرَ الصِبا

عَلى حينِ لاحَ الشيبُ وَاِستُنكِرَ الصِبا

وَراجَعَني حِلمي وَأَقصَرتُ عَن جَهلي

وَراجَعَني حِلمي وَأَقصَرتُ عَن جَهلي

when gray hair had appeared and youthful folly was deemed unseemly,

Now that grey hairs have appeared and youth is rejected

and my good sense had returned, and I had abandoned my folly.

And wisdom has returned to me, moving beyond ignorance

وَآلَت كَما آلَ المُجَرَّبُ بَعدَ ما

وَآلَت كَما آلَ المُجَرَّبُ بَعدَ ما

صَحَوتُ وَمَلَّ العاذِلاتُ مِنَ العَذلِ

صَحَوتُ وَمَلَّ العاذِلاتُ مِنَ العَذلِ

And she returned, as a seasoned man returns, after

And I have become as the experienced one becomes after

I had come to my senses, and the reproaching women had tired of reproach.

I awoke, and the blamers grew weary of blaming

وَأَبدَيتُ عِصياناً لَهُنَّ سَبَبنَني

وَأَبدَيتُ عِصياناً لَهُنَّ سَبَبنَني

وَأَلقَينَ مِن يَأسٍ عَلى غارِبي حَبلي

وَأَلقَينَ مِن يَأسٍ عَلى غارِبي حَبلي

And when I showed them defiance, they reviled me,

I showed them disobedience, which caused them

and in despair cast my rope over my withers.

To cast the rope of my love into a setting sun

وَأَقبَلنَ يَمشينَ الهُوَينا عَشِيَّةً

وَأَقبَلنَ يَمشينَ الهُوَينا عَشِيَّةً

يُقَتِّلنَ مَن يَرمينَ بِالحَدَقِ النُجلِ

يُقَتِّلنَ مَن يَرمينَ بِالحَدَقِ النُجلِ

And one evening they approached, walking gently,

And they marched my passion in the evening

slaying whomever they struck with their wide eyes.

Killing those at whom they glance with languid eyes

غَرائِبُ مِن حَيَّينِ شَتّى لَقينَني

غَرائِبُ مِن حَيَّينِ شَتّى لَقينَني

عَلى حالَةٍ ما خافَ مِن مِثلِها مِثلي

عَلى حالَةٍ ما خافَ مِن مِثلِها مِثلي

Strangers from two different clans met me

Strange women from various places met me

in a situation whose like no man like me had feared.

In a state I never imagined the like of

فَسَلَّمنَ تَسليماً ضَعيفاً وَأَعيُنٌ

فَسَلَّمنَ تَسليماً ضَعيفاً وَأَعيُنٌ

نُحاذِرُها مِن أَهلِهِنَّ وَمِن أَهلي

نُحاذِرُها مِن أَهلِهِنَّ وَمِن أَهلي

So they gave a faint greeting, while there were eyes

They bid me meager farewells, while their eyes

we feared, from their families and mine.

Fear their people and mine

وَقُلنَ لَوَ اِنَّ اللَهَ شاءَ لَقيتَنا

وَقُلنَ لَوَ اِنَّ اللَهَ شاءَ لَقيتَنا

عَلى غَيرِ هَذا مِن مَقامٍ وَمِن شُغلِ

عَلى غَيرِ هَذا مِن مَقامٍ وَمِن شُغلِ

And they said, “Had God willed it, you would have met us

And said, "If God had willed, we would have met you

in another place, with other concerns.

In a different place and occupation

إِذاً لَبَثَثناكَ الأَحاديثَ وَاِشتَفَت

إِذاً لَبَثَثناكَ الأَحاديثَ وَاِشتَفَت

نُفوسٌ وَلَكِنَّ المَقامَ عَلى رِجلِ

نُفوسٌ وَلَكِنَّ المَقامَ عَلى رِجلِ

Then we would have confided our stories to you, and relief would have come

Then we would have talked at length and commiserated

to our souls—but we are standing on one foot.”

Souls, but the situation calls for moving on"

وَقُلنَ مَتى بَعدَ العَشيَّةِ نَلتَقي

وَقُلنَ مَتى بَعدَ العَشيَّةِ نَلتَقي

لِميعادِنا هَيهاتَ هَيهاتَ لِلوَصلِ

لِميعادِنا هَيهاتَ هَيهاتَ لِلوَصلِ

And they said, “When, after this evening, shall we meet

And they said, "When after evening could we meet again

for our tryst?” Far, far off is union.

For our appointment? Alas! Alas! For the reunion!"