أَبَت بالشَّامِ نَفسِي أَن تَطيبَا

أَبَت بالشَّامِ نَفسِي أَن تَطيبَا

تَذَكَّرَت المنَازِلَ والحَبيبَا

تَذَكَّرَت المنَازِلَ والحَبيبَا

In al-Shām, my soul refused to find contentment;

In al-Shām, my soul refused to be content.

it remembered the dwellings and the beloved.

It remembered the dwellings and the beloved.

تَذَكَّرَتِ المنازلَ مِن شَعُوب

تَذَكَّرَتِ المنازلَ مِن شَعُوب

وَحيّاً أَصبَحُوا قُطِعُوا شُعُوبا

وَحيّاً أَصبَحُوا قُطِعُوا شُعُوبا

It remembered the dwellings at Shuʿūb,

It remembered the dwellings in Shaʿūb,

and a clan that had become scattered bands.

And a clan whose people had become scattered into separate groups.

سَبَوا قَلبي فَحَلَّ بحيث حلُّوا

سَبَوا قَلبي فَحَلَّ بحيث حلُّوا

ويُعظِمُ إِن دَعَوا أَلاَّ يُجيبَا

ويُعظِمُ إِن دَعَوا أَلاَّ يُجيبَا

They took my heart captive, and the heart settled wherever they settled;

They took my heart captive, and it settled wherever they settled.

and it deems it grave, when they call, not to answer.

And if they call, it deems it grievous not to answer.

أَلا لَيتَ الرِياحَ لنا رَسُولٌ

أَلا لَيتَ الرِياحَ لنا رَسُولٌ

إِلَيكُم إِن شَمالاً أَو جَنُوبَا

إِلَيكُم إِن شَمالاً أَو جَنُوبَا

Ah, if only the winds were a messenger for us

Ah, if only the winds were our messenger

to you—whether a north wind or a south wind—

To you, whether a north wind or a south wind,

فَتَأتِيَكُم بما قُلنَا سَريعاً

فَتَأتِيَكُم بما قُلنَا سَريعاً

ويبلُغَنا الذي قُلتُم قَرِيبَا

ويبلُغَنا الذي قُلتُم قَرِيبَا

to bring you swiftly what we have said,

So they might swiftly bring you what we said,

and soon convey to us what you have said.

And what you said might soon reach us.

أَلا يا رَوضُ قَد عَذَّبتِ قَلبي

أَلا يا رَوضُ قَد عَذَّبتِ قَلبي

فَأَصبَحَ مِن تَذَكُّرِكُم كَئِيبَا

فَأَصبَحَ مِن تَذَكُّرِكُم كَئِيبَا

Ah, O Rawḍa, you have tormented my heart,

Ah, O Rawḍ, you have tormented my heart,

so from remembering you all it has grown sorrowful.

So it has grown sorrowful from remembering you.

وَرَقَّقَني هَوَاكِ وكُنتُ جَلداً

وَرَقَّقَني هَوَاكِ وكُنتُ جَلداً

وَأَبدى في مَفَارِقِيَ المَشيبَا

وَأَبدى في مَفَارِقِيَ المَشيبَا

Your love has made me tender, though I was once hardy,

And love for you has softened me, though I was strong,

and brought gray to light along the partings of my hair.

And made gray hair appear along the partings of my hair.

أَمَا يُنسيكَ رَوضَةَ شَحطُ دارٍ

أَمَا يُنسيكَ رَوضَةَ شَحطُ دارٍ

وَلا قربٌ إِذَا كَانَت قَريبَا

وَلا قربٌ إِذَا كَانَت قَريبَا

Can distance of abode make you forget me, O Rawḍa,

Can neither a dwelling's remoteness make you forget Rawḍah,

though my nearness could not, when you were close?

Nor nearness, when she is close by?