يا رَبَّةَ البَغلَةِ الشَهباءِ هَل لَكُمُ

يا رَبَّةَ البَغلَةِ الشَهباءِ هَل لَكُمُ

أَن تَرحَمي عُمَراً لا تَرهَقي حَرَجا

أَن تَرحَمي عُمَراً لا تَرهَقي حَرَجا

O mistress of the gray mule, would you

O mistress of the gray mule, have mercy

show mercy to Umar, and incur no sin?

On a life so burdened and spare me of guilt

قالَت بِدائِكَ مُت أَو عِش تُعالِجُهُ

قالَت بِدائِكَ مُت أَو عِش تُعالِجُهُ

فَما نَرى لَكَ فيما عِندَنا فَرَجا

فَما نَرى لَكَ فيما عِندَنا فَرَجا

She said, “Die of your illness, or live struggling with it;

She said, with your illness, die or live to mend it

for we see no relief for you in what we have.

For we see no relief for you in our abode

قَد كُنتَ حَمَّلتَني غَيظاً أُعالِجُهُ

قَد كُنتَ حَمَّلتَني غَيظاً أُعالِجُهُ

فَإِن تُقِدني فَقَد عَنَّيتَني حَجَجا

فَإِن تُقِدني فَقَد عَنَّيتَني حَجَجا

You had burdened me with rage that I struggle with;

You had burdened me with rage I need to mend

if you grant me redress, it is because you have tormented me for years,

And if you lead me, you had spared me of disputes

حَتّى لَوَ اِسطيعُ مِمّا قَد فَعَلتَ بِنا

حَتّى لَوَ اِسطيعُ مِمّا قَد فَعَلتَ بِنا

أَكَلتُ لَحمَكَ مِن غَيظي وَما نَضَجا

أَكَلتُ لَحمَكَ مِن غَيظي وَما نَضَجا

so much that, if I could, for what you have done to us,

That if I could, for what you did to us

I would eat your flesh in my rage, uncooked.”

I'd eat your flesh in rage though undercooked

فَقُلتُ لا وَالَّذي حَجَّ الحَجيجُ لَهُ

فَقُلتُ لا وَالَّذي حَجَّ الحَجيجُ لَهُ

ما مَجَّ حُبُّكِ مِن قَلبي وَلا نَهَجا

ما مَجَّ حُبُّكِ مِن قَلبي وَلا نَهَجا

Then I said, “No, by Him for whom the pilgrims make pilgrimage,

So I said, no - by the One the pilgrims hail

my love for you has neither left my heart nor worn away.

Your love never left my heart nor took flight

وَما رَأى القَلبُ مِن شَيءٍ يُسِرُّ بِهِ

وَما رَأى القَلبُ مِن شَيءٍ يُسِرُّ بِهِ

مُذ بانَ مَنزِلُكُم مِنّا وَما ثَلِجا

مُذ بانَ مَنزِلُكُم مِنّا وَما ثَلِجا

And the heart has seen nothing to rejoice in

Nor did the heart see anything it cheers for

since your dwelling grew distant from us, nor has it found solace.”

Since your abode parted from us, nor iced

كَالشَمسِ صورَتُها غَرّاءُ واضِحَةٌ

كَالشَمسِ صورَتُها غَرّاءُ واضِحَةٌ

تُعشي إِذا بَرَزَت مِن حُسنِها السُرُجا

تُعشي إِذا بَرَزَت مِن حُسنِها السُرُجا

Her form is like the sun, radiant and bright;

Like the sun, her image radiant and vivid

when she appears, her beauty dazzles the lamps.

Dims at nightfall, though her beauty glows bright

ضَنَّت بِنائِلِها عَنّا فَقَد تَرَكَت

ضَنَّت بِنائِلِها عَنّا فَقَد تَرَكَت

مِن غَيرِ ذَنبٍ أَبا الخَطّابِ مُختَلَجا

مِن غَيرِ ذَنبٍ أَبا الخَطّابِ مُختَلَجا

She withheld her favors from us, and so has left

She denied us her gifts, and so she left

through no fault of his, Abu al-Khattab distraught.

Al-Khattab without guilt completely distraught