تَصابي وَما بَعضُ التَصابي بِطائِلِ

تَصابي وَما بَعضُ التَصابي بِطائِلِ

وَعاوَدَ مِن هِندٍ جَوى غَيرُ زائِلِ

وَعاوَدَ مِن هِندٍ جَوى غَيرُ زائِلِ

He dallied like a youth, though some such dalliance is fruitless;

The blamers persist, though some blaming is fruitless,

and unfading heartache for Hind returned.

And from India returned a love unceasing,

كَما نُكِسَت هَيماءُ أُحدِثَ رَدعُها

كَما نُكِسَت هَيماءُ أُحدِثَ رَدعُها

بِمُستَنقَعٍ أَعراضُهُ لِلهَوامِلِ

بِمُستَنقَعٍ أَعراضُهُ لِلهَوامِلِ

Like a thirst-stricken she-camel relapsing, driven back anew

As Uhud's valley was overturned, its deterrence renewed

at a stagnant pool whose banks are open to untended camels.

With a marsh whose sides bear litters,

عَشِيَّةَ قالَت صَدَّعَت غُربَةُ النَوى

عَشِيَّةَ قالَت صَدَّعَت غُربَةُ النَوى

فَما مِن لِقاءٍ بَينَنا دونَ قابِلِ

فَما مِن لِقاءٍ بَينَنا دونَ قابِلِ

That evening she said, "Distant separation has torn us apart;

At evening she said, "Absence of home has split my head,

so there will be no meeting between us before next year."

So between us no meeting but through a reconciler,"

وَما أَنسَ مِلأَشياءِ لا أَنسَ مَجلِساً

وَما أَنسَ مِلأَشياءِ لا أَنسَ مَجلِساً

لَنا مَرَّةً مِنها بِقَرنِ المَنازِلِ

لَنا مَرَّةً مِنها بِقَرنِ المَنازِلِ

And whatever things I forget, I shall not forget a meeting

And I miss no places, but miss a session

we once had with her at Qarn al-Manazil,

For us once therewith, at the turn of the lodgings,

بِنَخلَةَ بَينَ النَخلَتَينِ تُكِنُّنا

بِنَخلَةَ بَينَ النَخلَتَينِ تُكِنُّنا

مِنَ العَينِ خَوفَ العَينِ بُردَ المَراجِلِ

مِنَ العَينِ خَوفَ العَينِ بُردَ المَراجِلِ

at Nakhla, between the two palms, where we were concealed

By a palm tree between two palm trees that shelter us

from watching eyes, for fear of them, by patterned cloaks.

From spying eyes, the chill wind of the cooking pots.