يا بَيتَ خَثماءَ الَّذي يُتَحَبَّبُ

يا بَيتَ خَثماءَ الَّذي يُتَحَبَّبُ

ذَهَبَ الشَبابُ وَحُبُّها لا يَذهَبُ

ذَهَبَ الشَبابُ وَحُبُّها لا يَذهَبُ

O house of Khathmāʾ, which is held dear!

O home of Khathmah that is so dear

Youth has gone, but love for her does not go.

Youth has departed but her love stays near

مالي أَحِنُّ إِذا جِمالُكِ قُرِّبَت

مالي أَحِنُّ إِذا جِمالُكِ قُرِّبَت

وَأَصُدُّ عَنكِ وَأَنتِ مِنّي أَقرَبُ

وَأَصُدُّ عَنكِ وَأَنتِ مِنّي أَقرَبُ

Why do I yearn when your camels are brought near,

Why do I yearn when your beauty draws close?

yet turn away from you when you are nearer to me?

Yet I shy away though you are nearest of those

لِلَّهِ دَرُّكِ هَل لَدَيكِ مُعَوَّلٌ

لِلَّهِ دَرُّكِ هَل لَدَيكِ مُعَوَّلٌ

لِمُكَلَّفٍ أَم هَل لِوُدِّكِ مَطلَبُ

لِمُكَلَّفٍ أَم هَل لِوُدِّكِ مَطلَبُ

God bless you! Have you any refuge

For God’s sake, your troubles – are they for gain?

for a lovesick man, or any way to win your affection?

For a suitor or just longing’s bane?

تَدعو الحَمامَةُ شَجوَها فَتَهيجُني

تَدعو الحَمامَةُ شَجوَها فَتَهيجُني

وَيَروحُ عازِبُ شَوقِيَ المُتَأَوِّبُ

وَيَروحُ عازِبُ شَوقِيَ المُتَأَوِّبُ

The dove calls out her sorrow and stirs me,

The dove calls sadly and stirs my soul

and my far-wandering longing returns again at evening.

While my absent love’s longing takes its toll

وَأَرى البِلادَ إِذا سَكَنتِ بِغَيرِها

وَأَرى البِلادَ إِذا سَكَنتِ بِغَيرِها

جَدباً وَإِن كانَت تُطَلُّ وَتُخصَبُ

جَدباً وَإِن كانَت تُطَلُّ وَتُخصَبُ

And I see the lands, when you dwell elsewhere,

And I see the lands, when you are not there

as barren, though they are watered with dew and made fertile.

Barren, though they bloom and are richly fair

وَيَحُلُّ أَهلي بِالمكانِ فَلا أَرى

وَيَحُلُّ أَهلي بِالمكانِ فَلا أَرى

طَرفي بِغَيرِكِ مَرَّةً يَتَقَلَّبُ

طَرفي بِغَيرِكِ مَرَّةً يَتَقَلَّبُ

And my family settles in a place, yet I never see

My people settle in places, yet I see

my gaze turn even once toward anyone but you.

My eyes turn nowhere but to look for thee

وَأُصانِعُ الواشينَ فيكِ تَجَمُّلاً

وَأُصانِعُ الواشينَ فيكِ تَجَمُّلاً

وَهُمُ عَلَيَّ ذَوو ضَغائِنَ دُؤَّبُ

وَهُمُ عَلَيَّ ذَوو ضَغائِنَ دُؤَّبُ

And I placate the talebearers about you, keeping up appearances,

I court the slanderers for you, to adorn

though they tirelessly harbor grudges against me.

Though they bear malice and spiteful scorn

وَتَهيجُ سارِيَةُ الرِياحِ مِنَ أَرضِكُم

وَتَهيجُ سارِيَةُ الرِياحِ مِنَ أَرضِكُم

فَأَرى الجَنابَ لَها يُحَلُّ وَيُجنَبُ

فَأَرى الجَنابَ لَها يُحَلُّ وَيُجنَبُ

And a night-roaming wind rises from your land,

The winds blow from your land, and so I find

so I see the region inhabited and shunned on its account.

Aversion and avoidance sap my mind

وَأَرى العَدُوَّ يُحِبُّكُم فَأُحِبُّهُ

وَأَرى العَدُوَّ يُحِبُّكُم فَأُحِبُّهُ

إِن كانَ يُنسَبُ مِنكِ أَو يَتَنَسَّبُ

إِن كانَ يُنسَبُ مِنكِ أَو يَتَنَسَّبُ

And I see the enemy loving you, so I love him,

I see enemies love you, and then I know

if he is related to you, or claims kinship with you.

I must love them, if they from you flow