أَلا حَنَتِ المِرقالُ واأَتبَّ رَبُّها

أَلا حَنَتِ المِرقالُ واأَتبَّ رَبُّها

تَذَكّر أَوطانَاً وَأَذكُرُ مَعشَري

تَذَكّر أَوطانَاً وَأَذكُرُ مَعشَري

Ah, the swift-trotting she-camel yearned, and her master grieved;

Alas the she-camel has knelt, missing her home,

She recalls homelands, and I recall my people.

Remembering her native land while I recall my companions.

وَلَو عَرَفت صَرف البُيوعِ لَسَرَّها

وَلَو عَرَفت صَرف البُيوعِ لَسَرَّها

بِمَكَّةَ أَن تَبتاعَ حَمضاً بِإِذخِرِ

بِمَكَّةَ أَن تَبتاعَ حَمضاً بِإِذخِرِ

And if she understood the ways of barter, it would delight her

If she knew the ways of trade, it would please her

In Mecca to buy saltwort in exchange for idhkhir grass.

To buy some sour milk in Mecca with Izkhir.

أَسَرَّكِ لَو أَنّا بِجَنبَي عُنَيزَةٍ

أَسَرَّكِ لَو أَنّا بِجَنبَي عُنَيزَةٍ

وَحمضٍ وَضَموانِ الخَبابِ وَصَعتَرِ

وَحمضٍ وَضَموانِ الخَبابِ وَصَعتَرِ

Would it please you if we were beside the flanks of ʿUnayzah,

It would delight you if we were beside Unaiza,

And Ḥamḍ, and Ḍamwān al-Khabāb, and Ṣaʿtar?

With sour milk, dhawam, muddy water and sa'tar.

إِذا شاءَ راعيها اِستَقى مِن وَقيعَةٍ

إِذا شاءَ راعيها اِستَقى مِن وَقيعَةٍ

كَعَينِ الغُرابِ صَفوُها لَم يُكَدِّرِ

كَعَينِ الغُرابِ صَفوُها لَم يُكَدِّرِ

Whenever her herdsman wished, he drew water from a rocky hollow,

Whenever her herder wishes, he milks her udder,

Like a crow’s eye, its clear water unclouded.

As clear as a raven's eye, its purity undisturbed.

وَإِنِّي لَأَرجو مِلحَها في بُطونِكُم

وَإِنِّي لَأَرجو مِلحَها في بُطونِكُم

وَما بَسَطَت مِن جِلدِ أَشعَثَ أَغبَرِ

وَما بَسَطَت مِن جِلدِ أَشعَثَ أَغبَرِ

And I indeed hope for her fat in your bellies,

And I hope her salt is in your bellies,

And for the skin she has filled out on a disheveled, dust-covered man.

Not stretched on the hide of a disheveled dusty one.