أَرائِحَةٌ حُجّاجُ عُذرَةَ وِجهَةً

أَرائِحَةٌ حُجّاجُ عُذرَةَ وِجهَةً

وَلَمّا يَرُح في القَومِ جَعدُ بنُ مِهجَعِ

وَلَمّا يَرُح في القَومِ جَعدُ بنُ مِهجَعِ

Are the pilgrims of ʿUdhrah setting out toward a destination,

The pilgrims are a fragrant breeze, their goal to plead excuse,

while Jaʿd ibn Mihjaʿ has not yet set out among the company?

And whenever the slender one sways among the people, Ja'ad ibn Mihjan sways.

خَليلانِ نَشكو ما نُلاقي مِنَ الهَوى

خَليلانِ نَشكو ما نُلاقي مِنَ الهَوى

مَتى ما يَقُل أَسمَع وَإِن قُلتُ يَسمَعِ

مَتى ما يَقُل أَسمَع وَإِن قُلتُ يَسمَعِ

Two close friends, we lament what we suffer from love.

O intimate friends, we complain of what we suffer from love,

Whenever he speaks, I listen; and if I speak, he listens.

Whenever he speaks I listen, and if I speak he listens.

أَلا لَيتَ شِعري أَيُّ شَيءٍ أَصابَهُ

أَلا لَيتَ شِعري أَيُّ شَيءٍ أَصابَهُ

فَلي زَفَراتٌ هِجنَ ما بَينَ أَضلُعي

فَلي زَفَراتٌ هِجنَ ما بَينَ أَضلُعي

Ah, if only I knew what had befallen him!

Oh, would that I knew what has befallen him,

For I have sighs that have stirred what lies between my ribs.

For I have groaning sighs suppressed within my ribs.

فَلا يُبعِدَنكَ اللَهُ خِلّاً فَإِنَّني

فَلا يُبعِدَنكَ اللَهُ خِلّاً فَإِنَّني

سَأَلقى كَما لاقيتَ في كُلِّ مَصرَعِ

سَأَلقى كَما لاقيتَ في كُلِّ مَصرَعِ

So may God not banish you, dear friend, for indeed I

So may God not distance you, my intimate friend,

shall meet what you met, at every place of death.

For I will encounter what you encountered at every fateful moment.