نامَ صَحبي وَباتَ نَومي عَسيراً

نامَ صَحبي وَباتَ نَومي عَسيراً

أَرقُبُ النَجمَ مَوهِناً أَن يَغورا

أَرقُبُ النَجمَ مَوهِناً أَن يَغورا

My companions slept, but sleep was hard for me all night.

My companion's sleep and my sleep became difficult

I watch the star late at night, waiting for it to set.

I stay up watching the waning star about to set

إِذ تَذَكَّرتُ قَولَ هِندٍ لِتِربَي

إِذ تَذَكَّرتُ قَولَ هِندٍ لِتِربَي

ها وَرُحنا نِيَمِّمُ التَجميرا

ها وَرُحنا نِيَمِّمُ التَجميرا

When I recalled Hind's words to the two companions

When I remembered what a lover said to her beloved

of hers, as we set out toward the pebble-throwing rites:

Let's go, we will spend the night traveling

قُلنَ بِاللَهِ لِلفَتى عُج قَليلاً

قُلنَ بِاللَهِ لِلفَتى عُج قَليلاً

لَيسَ أَن عُجتَ لِلعِتابِ كَثيرا

لَيسَ أَن عُجتَ لِلعِتابِ كَثيرا

Tell the young man, by God: Turn aside a little;

Say, by God, be patient my lad for a little while

turning aside for reproach is not too much to ask.

It's not that you were patient for much blame

فَاِلتَقَينا فَرَحَّبَت ثُمَّ قالَت

فَاِلتَقَينا فَرَحَّبَت ثُمَّ قالَت

حُلتَ عَن عَهدِنا وَكُنتَ جَديرا

حُلتَ عَن عَهدِنا وَكُنتَ جَديرا

So we met; she welcomed me, then said:

So we met and she welcomed me then said

You have forsaken our pledge, though it befitted you

You were absent from our promise and you were worthy

أَن تَرُدَّ الواشينَ عَنّي كَما أَع

أَن تَرُدَّ الواشينَ عَنّي كَما أَع

صي إِذا ما ذُكِرتَ عِندي أَميرا

صي إِذا ما ذُكِرتَ عِندي أَميرا

to keep the slanderers away from me, just as I

To ward off those who slander me just as I

disobey a commander whenever you are mentioned in my presence.

Defend you when you are mentioned in my presence as a prince

قُلتُ أَنتِ المُنى وَكِبرُ هَوانا

قُلتُ أَنتِ المُنى وَكِبرُ هَوانا

فَاِعذِري يا خَليلَتي مَعذورا

فَاِعذِري يا خَليلَتي مَعذورا

I said: You are all I desire and the essence of our love;

I said, you are the wish and refusing is baseness

so pardon, my beloved, one who has an excuse.

So forgive me my sweetheart, pardoned

وَتَذَكَّرتُ قَولَها لي لَدى المَي

وَتَذَكَّرتُ قَولَها لي لَدى المَي

لِ وَكَفَّت دُموعَها أَن تَمورا

لِ وَكَفَّت دُموعَها أَن تَمورا

And I recalled her words to me at

And I remembered her words to me at the parting

parting, as she held her tears back from surging:

She held back her tears lest they flow

أَسأَلُ اللَهَ عالِمَ الغَيبِ أَن تَر

أَسأَلُ اللَهَ عالِمَ الغَيبِ أَن تَر

جِعَ يا حُبِّ سالِماً مَأجورا

جِعَ يا حُبِّ سالِماً مَأجورا

I ask God, Knower of the unseen, that you

I ask Allah, knower of the unseen, that you

return, my love, safe and rewarded.

Return safely my love, rewarded

إِن تَكُن لَيلَتي بِنَعمانَ طالَت

إِن تَكُن لَيلَتي بِنَعمانَ طالَت

فَبِما قَد يَكونُ لَيلي قَصيرا

فَبِما قَد يَكونُ لَيلي قَصيرا

If my night at Na‘man has grown long,

If my night in Nu'man was long

yet often enough my night is short.

Considering what my night could be, short

يا خَليلَيَّ لا تُقيما بِبُصرى

يا خَليلَيَّ لا تُقيما بِبُصرى

وَحَفيرٍ فَما أُحِبُّ حَفيرا

وَحَفيرٍ فَما أُحِبُّ حَفيرا

My two friends, do not stay at Busra

My friend, do not stay in Busra

or Hafir, for I have no love for Hafir.

Or Hafir, I do not like Hafir

فَإِذا ما مَرَرتُما بِعُمانٍ

فَإِذا ما مَرَرتُما بِعُمانٍ

فَأَقِلّا بِها الثَواءَ وَسيرا

فَأَقِلّا بِها الثَواءَ وَسيرا

So whenever you two pass through Oman,

So when you both pass by Oman

keep your stay there short, and travel on.

Stop there a little while and move on

يا خَليلَيَّ هَجِّرا تَهجيراً

يا خَليلَيَّ هَجِّرا تَهجيراً

ثُمَّ روحا وَأَحكِما لي المَسيرا

ثُمَّ روحا وَأَحكِما لي المَسيرا

My two friends, press on through the midday heat;

My friend, shun completely

then travel in the evening, and manage my journey well.

Then go and make my travel resolute

يا خَليلَيَّ ما تُشيرانِ إِنّي

يا خَليلَيَّ ما تُشيرانِ إِنّي

فاعِلٌ ما أَمَرتُما فَأَشيرا

فاعِلٌ ما أَمَرتُما فَأَشيرا

My two friends, what do you advise? I

My friend, do not suggest, I

will do whatever you bid me, so give your counsel.

Will do what you ordered, so suggest

ضَرَبا الأَمرُ ساعَةً ثُمَّ قالا

ضَرَبا الأَمرُ ساعَةً ثُمَّ قالا

قَد رَضَيناكَ ما اِصطَحَبنا أَميرا

قَد رَضَيناكَ ما اِصطَحَبنا أَميرا

They considered the matter awhile, then said:

The matter grew serious for a moment, then they said

We accept you as leader for as long as we keep company.

We are pleased with you, we have not accompanied a prince

إِنَّ خَطباً عَلَيَّ حَقّاً يَسيراً

إِنَّ خَطباً عَلَيَّ حَقّاً يَسيراً

أَن أَرى مِنكُما بَعيراً حَسيرا

أَن أَرى مِنكُما بَعيراً حَسيرا

It is truly a small matter for me

It is only a small rightful grievance

to see a camel of yours worn out.

That I see a slow camel from you

إِنَّما قَصرُنا وَإِن حَسَّرَ السَي

إِنَّما قَصرُنا وَإِن حَسَّرَ السَي

رُ بَعيراً أَن نَستَفيدَ بَعيرا

رُ بَعيراً أَن نَستَفيدَ بَعيرا

All we need, even if the journey wears out

We were remiss and though the journey

a camel, is to acquire another camel.

Demanded a camel, to get a camel