أَباكِرَةٌ في الظاعِنينَ رَميمُ

أَباكِرَةٌ في الظاعِنينَ رَميمُ

وَلَم يُشفَ مَتبولُ الفُؤادِ سَقيمُ

وَلَم يُشفَ مَتبولُ الفُؤادِ سَقيمُ

Is Ramim leaving early among those departing,

In the early dawn, among those stirring, a beloved

while the ailing man, his heart ravaged by love, remains unhealed?

Whose love-sick heart is not cured by a flowing drink

أَمِ اِتَّعَدَ الحَيُّ الرَواحَ فَإِنَّني

أَمِ اِتَّعَدَ الحَيُّ الرَواحَ فَإِنَّني

لِكُلِّ الَّذي يَنوى الأَميرُ وَجومُ

لِكُلِّ الَّذي يَنوى الأَميرُ وَجومُ

Or has the tribe agreed on an afternoon departure? For I

Or did the living soul take leave and depart, for I am

am downcast at whatever the emir intends.

Obedient to all the prince desires and commands

فَراحوا وَراحَت وَاِستَمَرَّت كَأَنَّها

فَراحوا وَراحَت وَاِستَمَرَّت كَأَنَّها

غَمامَةُ دَجنٍ تَنجَلي وَتَغيمُ

غَمامَةُ دَجنٍ تَنجَلي وَتَغيمُ

So they departed, and she departed and went on, as though she were

So they left, and it left, and continued, as if it were

a cloud in murky skies, now clearing, now darkening.

A rain cloud of evening that clears and then clouds over

مُبَتَّلَةٌ صَفراءُ مَهضومَةُ الحَشا

مُبَتَّلَةٌ صَفراءُ مَهضومَةُ الحَشا

غَذاها سُرورٌ دائِمٌ وَنَعيمُ

غَذاها سُرورٌ دائِمٌ وَنَعيمُ

Well-proportioned, golden-fair, and slender-waisted,

A withered, sallow, broken-spirited thing

she was nourished by lasting joy and luxury.

Fed ever by joy and contentment

قَدِ اِعتَدَلَت فَالنِصفُ مِن غُصنِ بانَةٍ

قَدِ اِعتَدَلَت فَالنِصفُ مِن غُصنِ بانَةٍ

وَنِصفٌ كَثيبٌ لَبَّدَتهُ سَجومُ

وَنِصفٌ كَثيبٌ لَبَّدَتهُ سَجومُ

Her figure is balanced: half is a branch of a ban tree,

She had matured, so half was branch of Bana

and half a sand dune packed firm by pouring rain.

And half like a sandhill where bitter herbs grow

مُنَعَّمَةٌ أَهدى لَها الجيدَ شادِنٌ

مُنَعَّمَةٌ أَهدى لَها الجيدَ شادِنٌ

وَأَهدَت لَها العَينَ القَتولَ بَغومُ

وَأَهدَت لَها العَينَ القَتولَ بَغومُ

Pampered, she was given her neck by a fawn,

Luxuriant, to her the noble one gave gifts

and a softly calling doe bestowed on her its deadly eye.

And to her the languid eye of the smooth-cheeked gazelle

تَراخَت بِها دارٌ وَأَصبَحَتِ العُدى

تَراخَت بِها دارٌ وَأَصبَحَتِ العُدى

لَدَيها كَما شاؤوا وَقالَ نَمومُ

لَدَيها كَما شاؤوا وَقالَ نَمومُ

Her dwelling lay far away, and the enemies came to be

A house was abandoned for her, and the enemies

with her as they wished, and a talebearer spoke.

Before her were as they wished, said the spy

رَميمُ الَّتي قالَت لِجاراتِ بَيتِها

رَميمُ الَّتي قالَت لِجاراتِ بَيتِها

ضَمِنتُ لَكُم أَن لا يَزالُ يَهيمُ

ضَمِنتُ لَكُم أَن لا يَزالُ يَهيمُ

Ramim, who told the women neighboring her house:

The beloved who said to the women neighbors

I guarantee you that he will always be lost in love.

I guarantee you he will not cease wandering

ضُمِنتُ لَكُم أَن لا يَزالَ كَأَنَّهُ

ضُمِنتُ لَكُم أَن لا يَزالَ كَأَنَّهُ

لِطَيفِ خَيالٍ مِن رَميمَ غَريمُ

لِطَيفِ خَيالٍ مِن رَميمَ غَريمُ

I am pledged to you: he will always be as though

I guarantee you he will remain as if

a debtor to a phantom vision of Ramim.

A phantom of the imagination of a strange, hostile beloved

وَقالَت لِأَترابٍ لَها شَبَهِ الدُمى

وَقالَت لِأَترابٍ لَها شَبَهِ الدُمى

تَنَكَّبنَ شَيئاً وَالدُموعُ سُجومُ

تَنَكَّبنَ شَيئاً وَالدُموعُ سُجومُ

And she said to companions her own age, resembling statues:

And she said to some near relations like her

Step aside a little—while tears streamed down.

Turn aside a little, while the tears cloud over

وَلِلفِتيَةِ اِنحازوا قَليلاً فَإِنَّهُ

وَلِلفِتيَةِ اِنحازوا قَليلاً فَإِنَّهُ

لَنا في أُمورٍ قَد خَلَونَ ظَلومُ

لَنا في أُمورٍ قَد خَلَونَ ظَلومُ

And to the young men: Draw aside a little, for he

And to the young men, withdraw a little, for he

has greatly wronged us in matters now past.

Has wronged us in some matters, unjust, unfair

وَقالَت لَهُنَّ اِربَعنَ شَيئاً لَعَلَّني

وَقالَت لَهُنَّ اِربَعنَ شَيئاً لَعَلَّني

وَإِن لامَني في ما اِرتَأَيتُ مُليمُ

وَإِن لامَني في ما اِرتَأَيتُ مُليمُ

And she told them: Wait a little; perhaps I—

And she said to them, stay away for a time, perhaps

even if a blameworthy man reproaches me for what I see fit—

If I am blamed for what I thought best, I may be forbearing

فَقالَت نَرى مُستَنكَراً أَن تَزورُنا

فَقالَت نَرى مُستَنكَراً أَن تَزورُنا

وَتَشريفُ مَمشانا إِلَيكَ عَظيمُ

وَتَشريفُ مَمشانا إِلَيكَ عَظيمُ

Then she said: We consider it improper for you to visit us,

So she said, We think it strange for you to visit us

and our walking to you is a great honor.

And your honoring our dwelling is a great thing

وَأَنتَ عَلَينا إِن نَأَيتَ وَإِن دَنَت

وَأَنتَ عَلَينا إِن نَأَيتَ وَإِن دَنَت

بِكَ الدارُ فَاِعلَم يا اِبنَ عَمِّ كَريمُ

بِكَ الدارُ فَاِعلَم يا اِبنَ عَمِّ كَريمُ

And in our eyes, whether you are far away or brought near

You are privileged over us, whether you come or stay away

by your dwelling—know this, cousin—you are dear.

The house is ennobled through you, dear cousin

فَقُلتُ لَها وُدّي وَتَكرِمَتي لَكُم

فَقُلتُ لَها وُدّي وَتَكرِمَتي لَكُم

عَلى كُلِّ ما أُصفيكِ مِنكِ طُعومُ

عَلى كُلِّ ما أُصفيكِ مِنكِ طُعومُ

So I told her: My love and respect are for you;

So I said to her, My love and esteem for you

for all the devotion I offer you, its savor comes from you.

Is stronger than any food you censure me for

وَلَم أَنسَ ما قالَت وَإِن شَطَّتِ النَوى

وَلَم أَنسَ ما قالَت وَإِن شَطَّتِ النَوى

بِها وَأَميرٌ ما يَزالُ شَتومُ

بِها وَأَميرٌ ما يَزالُ شَتومُ

Nor did I forget what she said, though separation bore

Nor did I forget what she said, though the fires

her far away, and an emir was forever hurling abuse.

Raged in me, while the prince remains quarrelsome

عَشيَّةَ رُحنا مِلغَميمِ وَصُحبَتي

عَشيَّةَ رُحنا مِلغَميمِ وَصُحبَتي

تَخُبُّ بِهِم عَيسٌ لَهُنَّ رَسيمُ

تَخُبُّ بِهِم عَيسٌ لَهُنَّ رَسيمُ

the evening we left al-Ghamim, while my companions

In the evening we left depressed, and my company

were borne by pale camels trotting at a brisk pace.

Were spies for them, a gentle wind for them

فَقُلتُ لِأَصحابي اِنفُذوا إِنَّ مَوعِداً

فَقُلتُ لِأَصحابي اِنفُذوا إِنَّ مَوعِداً

لَكُم مَرَّ وَليَربَع عَلَيَّ حَكيمُ

لَكُم مَرَّ وَليَربَع عَلَيَّ حَكيمُ

So I told my companions: Go on; an appointment

So I said to my friends, Carry out my request, for

of yours has passed, and let Hakim wait for me.

An appointment has passed; leave me and return, O wise one