وَإِنّي لَسائِلُ أُمِّ الرَبيعِ

وَإِنّي لَسائِلُ أُمِّ الرَبيعِ

قَبلَ الوَداعِ مَتاعاً طَفيفا

قَبلَ الوَداعِ مَتاعاً طَفيفا

And indeed I ask Umm al-Rabi‘

I ask the mother of spring,

Before farewell for a little pleasure,

Before farewell, for a little provision

مَتاعاً أَقومُ بِهِ لِلوَدا

مَتاعاً أَقومُ بِهِ لِلوَدا

عِ إِنّي أَرى الدارَ مِنها قَذوفا

عِ إِنّي أَرى الدارَ مِنها قَذوفا

A pleasure with which to face farewell—

Provision with which I bid farewell,

Indeed, I see the dwelling far from her.

For I see the abode thereof is desolate.

فَقالَت بِحاجَةِ كُلٍّ نَطَقتَ

فَقالَت بِحاجَةِ كُلٍّ نَطَقتَ

فَأَقبِل وَأَرسِل رَسولاً لَطيفا

فَأَقبِل وَأَرسِل رَسولاً لَطيفا

Then she said, ‘You have voiced everyone’s need;

She said, with the need of each you have spoken,

So come, and send a discreet messenger

So come and send a gentle messenger

إِلى مَوعِدٍ وَدَّ لَو أَنَّهُ

إِلى مَوعِدٍ وَدَّ لَو أَنَّهُ

خَلا لا يُرَوِّعُ فيهِ الطُروفا

خَلا لا يُرَوِّعُ فيهِ الطُروفا

To a meeting-place he wished were

To a tryst, if only it were one

Secluded, where he would startle no eyes.’

That when it ends would not perturb.

وَمِن عَجَبٍ ضَحِكَت إِذ رَأَت

وَمِن عَجَبٍ ضَحِكَت إِذ رَأَت

قُرَيبَةُ بِالخَيفِ رَكباً وُقوفا

قُرَيبَةُ بِالخَيفِ رَكباً وُقوفا

And in wonder she laughed when she saw—

And she laughed in wonder when she saw

Quraybah, at al-Khayf—a band of halted riders.

A rider halt his mount.

رَأَت رَجُلاً شاحِباً جِسمُهُ

رَأَت رَجُلاً شاحِباً جِسمُهُ

مُسارِيَ أَرضٍ أَطالَ الوَجيفا

مُسارِيَ أَرضٍ أَطالَ الوَجيفا

She saw a man whose body was wan,

She saw a pallid man whose body

A night-traveller across country, long maintaining a swift pace,

Was traversing a land that prolonged decay.

أَخا سَفَرٍ لا يُجِمُّ المَطيَّ

أَخا سَفَرٍ لا يُجِمُّ المَطيَّ

بَعدَ الكَلالَةِ إِلّا خُفوفا

بَعدَ الكَلالَةِ إِلّا خُفوفا

A man of journeys, who gives his mounts no rest

A brother of travel that does not restrain the steed

After exhaustion—only a swift departure.

After weariness, save gently,

فَإِمّا تَرَيني كَساني السِفا

فَإِمّا تَرَيني كَساني السِفا

رُ لَونَ السَوادِ وَجِسماً نَحيفا

رُ لَونَ السَوادِ وَجِسماً نَحيفا

So if you see me, travel has clothed me

Whether you see me as travel has changed my color

In a dark hue and a lean body,

To black and made my body thin,

فَحوراً كَمِثلِ ظِباءِ الخَري

فَحوراً كَمِثلِ ظِباءِ الخَري

فِ أُخرِجنَ يَمشينَ مَشياً قَطوفا

فِ أُخرِجنَ يَمشينَ مَشياً قَطوفا

Then dark-eyed beauties, like autumn gazelles,

Or, maidens like the wild cows

Were brought out, walking with short, slow steps.

Brought forth walking gracefully,

تَضَوَّعَ أَردانُهُنَّ العَبي

تَضَوَّعَ أَردانُهُنَّ العَبي

رَ وَالرَندَ خالَطَ مِسكاً مَدوفا

رَ وَالرَندَ خالَطَ مِسكاً مَدوفا

Their sleeves breathed out perfume

Their forearms perfumed

And laurel mingled with diluted musk.

And perfume mingled with aloeswood,

يُهَيِّجنَ مِن بَرَداتِ القُلو

يُهَيِّجنَ مِن بَرَداتِ القُلو

بِ شَوقاً إِذا ما ضَرَبنَ الدُفوفا

بِ شَوقاً إِذا ما ضَرَبنَ الدُفوفا

They stir from the depths of hearts

They excite with their drums hearts

Longing, whenever they beat the tambourines.

With yearning whene’er they beat their tambourines,

إِذا ما اِنقَضى عَجَبٌ لَم يَزَل

إِذا ما اِنقَضى عَجَبٌ لَم يَزَل

نَ يَدعونَ لِلَّهوِ قَلباً ظَريفا

نَ يَدعونَ لِلَّهوِ قَلباً ظَريفا

Whenever one marvel passed, they never ceased

When wonder has passed which did not cease

Calling a lively heart to merriment,

To invite a gentle heart to diversion,

بِأَبطَحِ سَهلٍ سَقاهُ السَحا

بِأَبطَحِ سَهلٍ سَقاهُ السَحا

بُ إِمّا رَبيعاً وَإِمّا خَريفا

بُ إِمّا رَبيعاً وَإِمّا خَريفا

On a level, pebbly plain watered by clouds,

On a plain he watered, whether spring

Whether in spring or in autumn.

Or autumn.