إِنَّ الخَليطَ مَعَ الصَباحِ تَصَدَّعوا

إِنَّ الخَليطَ مَعَ الصَباحِ تَصَدَّعوا

فَالقَلبُ مُرتَهَنٌ بِزَينَبَ موجِعُ

فَالقَلبُ مُرتَهَنٌ بِزَينَبَ موجِعُ

Indeed, the company dispersed at dawn,

At dawn the tents and camp broke down,

so my heart, captive to Zaynab, aches.

My heart is pledged to Zainab in pain.

أَشكو إِلى بَكرٍ وَقَد جَزَعَت بِها

أَشكو إِلى بَكرٍ وَقَد جَزَعَت بِها

بَغلاتُها ذوصَ النَواصِفِ تَرفَعُ

بَغلاتُها ذوصَ النَواصِفِ تَرفَعُ

I complain to Bakr, while she has been borne across

I complain to Bakr as she grieves for her,

Dhawṣ al-Nawāṣif by her mules, hastening onward.

Her camels with slender hips marching on high.

قالوا بِمَرَّ اليَومَ ثُمَّ مَبيتَهُم

قالوا بِمَرَّ اليَومَ ثُمَّ مَبيتَهُم

ضَحيانُ أُو عُسفانُ إِن هُم أَسرَعوا

ضَحيانُ أُو عُسفانُ إِن هُم أَسرَعوا

They said, “At Marr today; then their night's lodging

They said they would pass the day and night there,

will be Ḍaḥyān or ʿUsfān, if they hurry.”

To rest a while before hastening on.

حَتّى إِذا جَسَروا بِصارِعِ كُلَّها

حَتّى إِذا جَسَروا بِصارِعِ كُلَّها

وَبَدا لَهُم مِنها طَريقٌ مَهيَعُ

وَبَدا لَهُم مِنها طَريقٌ مَهيَعُ

Until, when they had pressed on through all of Ṣāriʿ,

Until they crossed the valley's entirety,

and from there a broad road appeared before them,

A dreadful path appeared before them.

فَأَتَيتُهُم عِندَ العِشاءِ مُخاطِرا

فَأَتَيتُهُم عِندَ العِشاءِ مُخاطِرا

حَذِرَ الأَنيسِ وَلَيسَ شَيئاً يَسمَعُ

حَذِرَ الأَنيسِ وَلَيسَ شَيئاً يَسمَعُ

I came to them at nightfall, taking a risk,

I came upon them at nightfall risking much,

wary of company, and hearing nothing.

Wary of friends, hearing not a thing.

أَقبَلتُ أُخفي مِشيَتي مُتَقَنِّعا

أَقبَلتُ أُخفي مِشيَتي مُتَقَنِّعا

وَأَخو الخَفاءِ إِذا مَشى يَتَقَنَّعُ

وَأَخو الخَفاءِ إِذا مَشى يَتَقَنَّعُ

I approached, concealing my steps, veiled,

I advanced hiding my pace in disguise,

and a man of stealth veils himself when he walks.

Brother of secrecy walks masked from view.

فَأَتَيتُ حينَ تَضَجَّعوا بَعدَ الوَنى

فَأَتَيتُ حينَ تَضَجَّعوا بَعدَ الوَنى

مِن سَيرِهِم أَو قَبلَ أَن يَتَضَجَّعوا

مِن سَيرِهِم أَو قَبلَ أَن يَتَضَجَّعوا

So I came when they lay down after the weariness

I came when after toil they lay to rest,

of their journey—or before they lay down.

Before or after laying down from the journey.

فَإِذا ثَلاثٌ بَينَهُنَّ عَقيلَةٌ

فَإِذا ثَلاثٌ بَينَهُنَّ عَقيلَةٌ

مِثلُ الغَمامَةِ نَشرُها يَتَضَوَّعُ

مِثلُ الغَمامَةِ نَشرُها يَتَضَوَّعُ

And behold, three women, among them a noble lady,

There were three, in their midst a maiden,

like a cloud, her fragrance wafting forth.

Like a cloud, her beauty displayed in grace.

فَعَرَفتُ صورَتَها وَلَيسَ بِمُنكِرٍ

فَعَرَفتُ صورَتَها وَلَيسَ بِمُنكِرٍ

أَحَدٌ شُعاعَ الشَمسِ ساعَةَ تَطلُعُ

أَحَدٌ شُعاعَ الشَمسِ ساعَةَ تَطلُعُ

So I recognized her form; no one fails to recognize

I knew her form, none would deny,

the sun's radiance the moment it rises.

The sun's rays in the moment they rise.

قالَت نَشَدتُكِ يا لُبابُ أَلَم يَكُن

قالَت نَشَدتُكِ يا لُبابُ أَلَم يَكُن

كِبرَ المُنى وَبِهِ حَديثي أَجمَعُ

كِبرَ المُنى وَبِهِ حَديثي أَجمَعُ

She said, “I implore you, Lubāb, was he not

She implored "I beg you, most kind Lubab, was it not,

my greatest wish, and the subject of all my talk?”

Great sorrow, of which my words tell?"

قالَت بَلى فَعَجِبتُ حينَ لَقيتُها

قالَت بَلى فَعَجِبتُ حينَ لَقيتُها

مَن قَولِها لَيتَ النَوى بِكَ تَجمَعُ

مَن قَولِها لَيتَ النَوى بِكَ تَجمَعُ

She said, “Yes.” I marveled when I met her

Yes, I replied, amazed when I met her,

at her words: “If only separation would unite me with you!”

"Would that we could share in your sorrow!"