أَرِقتُ وَقَد نامَ الخَلِيُّ لِنازِحٍ

أَرِقتُ وَقَد نامَ الخَلِيُّ لِنازِحٍ

تَشَظَّت حَصاةُ القَلبِ في حُبِّهِ صَدعا

تَشَظَّت حَصاةُ القَلبِ في حُبِّهِ صَدعا

I lay sleepless for one far away, while the carefree one slept.

I lay awake though my companion slept,

My heart’s stone cracked and splintered for love of him.

The pebbles of love shattered in his heart,

وَما شاقَني إِلّا وَميضُ غَمامَةٍ

وَما شاقَني إِلّا وَميضُ غَمامَةٍ

تَطَلَّعَ مِن نَجدٍ فَحَيّا اللِوى رَبعا

تَطَلَّعَ مِن نَجدٍ فَحَيّا اللِوى رَبعا

And nothing stirred my longing but a cloud’s flash,

And nothing kept me from rest save the lightning

Which rose from Najd and greeted the campsite at al-Liwa.

That peered from Najd and lit the pastures.

أَشيمُ سَناهُ وَالسَماءُ مُغيمَةٌ

أَشيمُ سَناهُ وَالسَماءُ مُغيمَةٌ

كَما اِغرَورَقَت عَيني لِرُؤيَتِهِ دَمعا

كَما اِغرَورَقَت عَيني لِرُؤيَتِهِ دَمعا

I watch its glow while the sky is overcast,

I sense his features though the sky is overcast

As my eye brimmed with tears at seeing it.

As my eyes rain when I see him weep.

فَذَكَّرَني وَاللَيلُ يَندى جَناحُهُ

فَذَكَّرَني وَاللَيلُ يَندى جَناحُهُ

بِمَعطِفِهِ خَفقاً وَمَبسِمِهِ لَمعا

بِمَعطِفِهِ خَفقاً وَمَبسِمِهِ لَمعا

So it reminded me, as night’s wing grew dewy,

And night fluttering its wings reminds me

Of his swaying form and his gleaming smile.

Of his cloak's flap and his smile's gleam.

وَمَسحَبِ ذَيلٍ لِلسَحابِ بِذي الغَضا

وَمَسحَبِ ذَيلٍ لِلسَحابِ بِذي الغَضا

بَرودِ رُضابِ الماءِ أَحوى لِمى المَرعى

بَرودِ رُضابِ الماءِ أَحوى لِمى المَرعى

And a place at Dhu al-Ghada where clouds trail their hems,

And clouds trailing trains for rain from on high

Cool with water’s saliva, its pasture dark-lipped.

To the meadow's sweet grasses that sheep enjoy.

فَقُل في أَتِيٍّ قَد تَهادى كَأَنَّهُ

فَقُل في أَتِيٍّ قَد تَهادى كَأَنَّهُ

إِذا ماثَنى أَعطافَهُ حَيَّةٌ تَسعى

إِذا ماثَنى أَعطافَهُ حَيَّةٌ تَسعى

Then speak of a flood that glides gently, as if it were

Say then of one who inclines as though he were

A serpent in motion whenever it bends its flanks.

A snake slithering with no fixed course in view,

وَماءِ مَسيلٍ سائِلٍ لِقَرارَةٍ

وَماءِ مَسيلٍ سائِلٍ لِقَرارَةٍ

فَبَينا تَرى مِنهُ حُساماً تَرى دِرعا

فَبَينا تَرى مِنهُ حُساماً تَرى دِرعا

And a stream’s water flowing into a hollow:

And water streaming for still pools to fill,

Now you see a sword in it, now a coat of mail.

Now showing you a sword and now a shield.