ذَكَرتُكِ يَومَ القَصرِ قَصرِ اِبنِ عامِرٍ

ذَكَرتُكِ يَومَ القَصرِ قَصرِ اِبنِ عامِرٍ

بِخُمٍّ وَهاجَت عَبرَةُ العَينِ تَسكُبُ

بِخُمٍّ وَهاجَت عَبرَةُ العَينِ تَسكُبُ

I remembered you that day at the palace, the palace of Ibn Amir,

I remembered you at the palace, the palace of Ibn Aamir

At Khumm, and a tear welled up in my eye and poured forth.

With yearning, and tears flowed copiously from my eyes

فَظِلتُ وَظَلَّت أَينُقٌ بِرِحالِها

فَظِلتُ وَظَلَّت أَينُقٌ بِرِحالِها

ضَوامِرُ يَستَأنينَ أَيّانَ أَركَبُ

ضَوامِرُ يَستَأنينَ أَيّانَ أَركَبُ

So I lingered, and she-camels lingered with their saddles,

So I remained, while the she-camels remained, at their station

Lean, waiting patiently for when I would mount.

Saddled she-camels awaiting when I will mount and ride

أُحَدِّثُ نَفسي وَالأَحاديثُ جَمَّةٌ

أُحَدِّثُ نَفسي وَالأَحاديثُ جَمَّةٌ

وَأَكبَرُ هَمّي وَالأَحاديثِ زَينَبُ

وَأَكبَرُ هَمّي وَالأَحاديثِ زَينَبُ

I speak to myself, and my thoughts are many;

I talk to myself, and my words are many

And Zaynab is foremost among my cares and thoughts.

And my biggest worry, and my words, is Zaynab

إِذا طَلَعَت شَمسُ النَهارِ ذَكَرتُها

إِذا طَلَعَت شَمسُ النَهارِ ذَكَرتُها

وَأُحدِثُ ذِكراها إِذا الشَمسُ تَغرُبُ

وَأُحدِثُ ذِكراها إِذا الشَمسُ تَغرُبُ

When the sun of day rises, I remember her,

When the sun of day rises, I remember her

And I recall her anew when the sun sets.

And I reminisce about her when the sun sets

وَإِنَّ لَها دونَ النِساءِ لَصُحبَتي

وَإِنَّ لَها دونَ النِساءِ لَصُحبَتي

وَحِفظِيَ وَالأَشعارِ حينَ أُشَبَّبُ

وَحِفظِيَ وَالأَشعارِ حينَ أُشَبَّبُ

And she alone among women has my companionship,

She is special to me, beyond all women

And my loyalty, and my verses when I sing of love.

In my preservation, and poetry, whenever I compose

وَإِنَّ الَّذي يَبغي رِضايَ بِذِكرِها

وَإِنَّ الَّذي يَبغي رِضايَ بِذِكرِها

إِلَيَّ وَإِعجابي بِها يَتَحَبَّبُ

إِلَيَّ وَإِعجابي بِها يَتَحَبَّبُ

And whoever seeks my favor by mentioning her

Indeed, he who wants my pleasure by mentioning her

And my admiration for her endears himself to me.

To me, and my admiration of her, makes himself beloved

إِذا خَلَجَت عَيني أَقولُ لَعَلَّها

إِذا خَلَجَت عَيني أَقولُ لَعَلَّها

لِرُؤيَتِها تَهتاجُ عَيني وَتَضرِبُ

لِرُؤيَتِها تَهتاجُ عَيني وَتَضرِبُ

When my eye twitches, I say, 'Perhaps it

When my eye twitches, I say perhaps

Stirs and throbs at the prospect of seeing her.'

It twitches to see her, and flutters for that

إِذا خَدِرَت رِجلي أَبوحُ بِذِكرِها

إِذا خَدِرَت رِجلي أَبوحُ بِذِكرِها

لِيَذهَبُ عَن رِجلي الخُدورُ فَيَذهَبُ

لِيَذهَبُ عَن رِجلي الخُدورُ فَيَذهَبُ

When my leg goes numb, I openly mention her,

When my legs grow numb, I confess in remembering her

So the numbness may leave my leg—and it does.

So that the numbness may leave my legs and depart