سَأَلتُكI asked you عنabout منازلناour dwellings بنجدٍin Najd
سَأَلتُك عن منازلنا بنجدٍ
وهاتيكand those الأَرجاءthe regions والبطاحand the broad valleys
وهاتيك الأَرجاء والبطاح
I asked you about our dwellings in Najd,
I asked you about our dwellings in Najd
and those regions and broad valleys.
And those far and wide open spaces
أَروَّاهاdid it drench them? الغمامُthe clouds الجونdark حتَّىuntil
أَروَّاها الغمامُ الجون حتَّى
سقىwatered ماwhat حولهنَّaround them منof النَّواحيthe regions
سقى ما حولهنَّ من النَّواحي
Did the dark clouds drench them, until
The clouds abundantly watered them
they watered the regions all around them?
Quenching the surrounding regions
وهلand whether نَبَتَsprouted الثّمامthumam grass أوor الخزامىlavender
وهل نَبَتَ الثّمام أو الخزامى
فَعَطَّرand so perfumed فيهin it أنفاسbreaths الرياحthe winds
فَعَطَّر فيه أنفاس الرياح
And did thumam grass or lavender sprout,
Did the thymes or other wild plants grow
thus perfuming the breaths of the winds there?
And fill the air with the fragrance so fine?
وهلand whether لطمslapped الشقيقthe anemones بهاin them خدوداًcheeks
وهل لطم الشقيق بها خدوداً
مضَرّجةstained blood-red علىat ضحكthe laughter الأَقاحيthe daisies
مضَرّجة على ضحك الأَقاحي
And did the anemones there slap their cheeks,
Did the anemones smile with cheeks
stained blood-red, at the laughter of the daisies?
Blushing over the meadows' laughter?
وهلand whether خَطَبَتْpreached علىupon الأَثلاثِthe tamarisks (apparently intended) منهof it
وهل خَطَبَتْ على الأَثلاثِ منه
حمائِمُهاtheir doves بأَلْسِنَةٍwith tongues فِصاحeloquent
حمائِمُها بأَلْسِنَةٍ فِصاح
And were sermons preached upon its tamarisks
Did the doves court them with an eloquence
by their doves, in eloquent tongues?
Fluent upon the highland?
وكيفَand how عَهِدْتُI knew أقواماًpeople مراميmy aim
وكيفَ عَهِدْتُ أقواماً مرامي
لديهمwith them أَنْthat أراهمI see them واقتراحيand my wish
لديهم أَنْ أراهم واقتراحي
And how did I find those people? My aim
How could I forget people most noble
with them is to see them—my wish as well.
Whom I hope I meet and greet?
وهلand whether ذكرتremembered ندامايmy drinking companions الأواليof old
وهل ذكرت نداماي الأوالي
غبوقيmy evening drink فيin رباهاits hills واصطباحيand my morning drink
غبوقي في رباها واصطباحي
And did my drinking companions of old remember
Did I remember my early friends
my evening drink upon its hills, and my morning drink?
My drinking-friends in times long past?
منازلdwellings صَبْوَتيmy youthful passion وديارand homes وجديmy longing
منازل صَبْوَتي وديار وجدي
ومنشأand the source لوعتيmy anguish ومدىand the reach رواحيmy wanderings
ومنشأ لوعتي ومدى رواحي
The dwellings of my youthful passion, and the homes of my longing,
The abode of my childhood and land of Wajd
and the source of my anguish, and the reach of my wanderings.
Where my despair and hope were born
لقدindeed كادَnearly الفؤادthe heart يطيرُflies شوقاًwith longing
لقد كادَ الفؤاد يطيرُ شوقاً
إليهاto them ياO هذيمHudhaym بلاwithout جناحa wing
إليها يا هذيم بلا جناح
Indeed, my heart almost flew with longing
My heart is almost winging with longing
to them, O Hudhaym, without a wing.
To those dwellings, O Hudhaim, with no wings!