لمنto whom الركبthe caravan علىby وادa valley قباQuba
لمن الركب على واد قبا
تتهادىsway gracefully العيسthe pale camels فيهمamong them طرباin delight
تتهادى العيس فيهم طربا
Whose is the caravan by the valley of Quba?
To whom does the caravan in the valley of Qubaa belong,
The pale camels sway among them in delight.
With tender young maidens swaying gracefully among them.
مشرقاتshining فيin الدياجيthe dark nights لهمbelonging to them
مشرقات في الدياجي لهم
أوجهfaces غرّradiant تباهيrival in splendor الشهباthe stars
أوجه غرّ تباهي الشهبا
Shining in the dark nights are their
They are shining lights in the dark night,
Radiant faces that rival the stars.
With radiant faces outshining the falling stars.
تحملcarries الريحthe wind إذاwhen مرتit passes بهمby them
تحمل الريح إذا مرت بهم
ارجfragrance الندthe blended perfume وانفاسand breaths الكباthe incense
ارج الند وانفاس الكبا
The wind, whenever it passes by them, carries
When the wind blows by them, it carries the scent of musk and breaths of ambergris.
The fragrance of blended perfume and breaths of incense.
They find their way in the darkness by the light of a moon that shines through the gloom.
يستدلونthey find their way إذاwhen خاضواthey plunge into الدجىthe darkness
يستدلون إذا خاضوا الدجى
قمراa moon يجلوdispels سناهits radiance الغيهباthe deep gloom
قمرا يجلو سناه الغيهبا
When they plunge into darkness, they are guided by
They marched on, driving their camels with a tinkling sound amidst the howling winds.
A moon whose radiance dispels the deep gloom.
Behind the caravan, folded with grief, is one
ادلجواthey set out by night يزجونthey urge onward فيin اظعانهمtheir caravans
ادلجوا يزجون في اظعانهم
رشأa fawn أحوىdusky يعاطيexchanging cups with ربرباa herd of gazelles
رشأ أحوى يعاطي ربربا
They set out by night, urging onward in their caravans
Whose heart burns with sorrow.
A dusky fawn exchanging cups with a herd of gazelles.
With tearful eyes he follows their trail,
شرعواthey leveled سمرtawny القناthe spears واعتقلواand took hold
شرعوا سمر القنا واعتقلوا
بالضباwith the sword-blades يحمونthey protect ارامwhite gazelles الظباthe gazelles
بالضبا يحمون ارام الظبا
They leveled the tawny spears and took hold
And a heart pierced with the arrow of youth.
Of sword-blades, guarding the white gazelles.
They have departed the land of green grass, and their grazing ground
ووراءand behind الركبthe caravan مطويّenfolded علىaround
ووراء الركب مطويّ على
لوعةanguish تصليscorches حشاهhis heart لهباwith flame
لوعة تصلي حشاه لهبا
And behind the caravan is one enfolded in
Has been watered by my tears.
Anguish that scorches his heart with flame.
They descended the slopes - Oh my eyes, weep
يتبعhe follows الاطعانthe departing caravans طرفاًa gaze دامعاًtearful
يتبع الاطعان طرفاً دامعاً
وفؤاداًand a heart شفهwasted it برحthe torment of الصباyearning
وفؤاداً شفه برح الصبا
He follows the departing caravans with a tearful gaze,
For the beloved ones a flood of tears.
And a heart worn away by yearning's torment.
The sun of our meeting has set far from them,
قدalready تحرواthey sought out منبتa growing-place العشبthe grass وقدand already
قد تحروا منبت العشب وقد
عادhas become مغناهمtheir dwelling-place بدمعيwith my tears معشباgrass-covered
عاد مغناهم بدمعي معشبا
They have sought the place where grass grows, and already
So stay awake through the night and watch the shooting stars.
Their dwelling-place has grown green with my tears.
نزلواthey camped السفحthe mountain's foot فياso O عينeye اسفحيpour forth
نزلوا السفح فيا عين اسفحي
فيfor نوىthe departure of الاحبابthe loved ones دمعاًtears صيباtorrential
في نوى الاحباب دمعاً صيبا
They camped at the mountain's foot; so, O eye, pour forth
For the loved ones' departure, a downpour of tears.
غربتhas set شمسthe sun التلاقيreunion منهمfrom them
غربت شمس التلاقي منهم
فاسهريso keep vigil الليلthe night وراعيand watch الشهباthe stars
فاسهري الليل وراعي الشهبا
The sun of reunion with them has set;
So keep vigil through the night, and watch the stars.
Partial English translation: 17 of 22 Arabic lines translated.