وَحَنَّت قُلوصي بَعدَ هُدءِ صَبابَةٍ

وَحَنَّت قُلوصي بَعدَ هُدءِ صَبابَةٍ

فَيا رَوعَةً ما راعَ قَلبي حَنينُها

فَيا رَوعَةً ما راعَ قَلبي حَنينُها

And my young she-camel moaned after ardent longing had subsided.

My heart yearned after the calm of youth was past,

And oh, what a fright—how her yearning cry startled my heart!

Oh, the anguish my heart knew from its longing!

فَقُلتُ لَها صَبراً فَكُلُّ قَرينَةٍ

فَقُلتُ لَها صَبراً فَكُلُّ قَرينَةٍ

مُفارِقُها لا بُدَّ يَوماً قَرينُها

مُفارِقُها لا بُدَّ يَوماً قَرينُها

So I told her, 'Patience! For every companion

I told it, "Patience," for every companion,

will inevitably one day be left by her mate.'

Must one day leave their companion.

أَرى سَبعَةً يَسعَونَ لِلوَصلِ كُلُّهُم

أَرى سَبعَةً يَسعَونَ لِلوَصلِ كُلُّهُم

لَهُ عِندَ لَيلى دَينَةٌ يَستَدينُها

لَهُ عِندَ لَيلى دَينَةٌ يَستَدينُها

I see seven men striving for union; each of them

I saw seven men striving for union with her,

has with Layla a loan he seeks to borrow.

Each one in debt to Layla, begging her favors.

فَأَلقَيتُ سَهمي وَسطَهُم حينَ أَوخَشوا

فَأَلقَيتُ سَهمي وَسطَهُم حينَ أَوخَشوا

فَما صارَ لي مِن ذاكَ إِلّا ثَمينُها

فَما صارَ لي مِن ذاكَ إِلّا ثَمينُها

So I cast my arrow among them when they cast lots;

I cast my arrow among them when they wavered,

and nothing fell to me from that but an eighth of her.

But from that I earned only her disdain.

وَكُنتُ عَزوفَ النَفسِ أَشنَأَ أَن أَرى

وَكُنتُ عَزوفَ النَفسِ أَشنَأَ أَن أَرى

عَلى الشِركِ مِن وَرهاءَ طَوعٌ قَرينُها

عَلى الشِركِ مِن وَرهاءَ طَوعٌ قَرينُها

And I was aloof in spirit, loathing to see myself

My spirit recoiled from sharing her;

sharing a foolish woman whose companion is compliant.

I wished to see obedience to me alone.

فَيَوماً تَراها بِالعُهودِ وَفيَّةً

فَيَوماً تَراها بِالعُهودِ وَفيَّةً

وَيَوماً عَلى دينِ اِبنِ خاقانَ دينُها

وَيَوماً عَلى دينِ اِبنِ خاقانَ دينُها

So one day you see her faithful to her pledges,

One day she is faithful to her vows,

and another day her creed is that of Ibn Khaqan:

Another, she follows the creed of Ibn Khagan.

يَداً بِيَدٍ مَن جاءَ بِالعَينِ مِنهُمُ

يَداً بِيَدٍ مَن جاءَ بِالعَينِ مِنهُمُ

وَمَن لَم يَجِئ بِالعَينِ حيزَت رُهونُها

وَمَن لَم يَجِئ بِالعَينِ حيزَت رُهونُها

hand to hand with whoever among them brings ready cash;

Hand in hand, whoever brought her gifts,

and if one brings no ready cash, her pledges are seized.

Whoever brought no gift was refused her presence.