إذا ذكرت أمامةُ فرطَ حولٍ

إذا ذكرت أمامةُ فرطَ حولٍ

ولو بعدت محلتها غُريتُ

ولو بعدت محلتها غُريتُ

Whenever Umāmah is mentioned, my self-possession deserts me;

Whenever Umamah is mentioned after a year's lapse,

though her dwelling lies far away, I remain enthralled.

Even if her dwelling is far away, I am seized with longing.

أكلفها ولو بعدَت نواها

أكلفها ولو بعدَت نواها

كأني من تذكرها حميتُ

كأني من تذكرها حميتُ

I am deeply enamored of her, however distant her abode;

I am enamored of her, though her destination is far away,

it is as though remembering her had stricken me with fever.

As though remembering her had made me feverish.

طليحٌ لا يؤوبُ إليَّ جسمي

طليحٌ لا يؤوبُ إليَّ جسمي

كأني سمَّ عاضهَةٍ سُقيتُ

كأني سمَّ عاضهَةٍ سُقيتُ

Wasted away, my body does not return to me;

Wasted away, my body does not recover,

it is as though I had been given a biting serpent’s venom to drink.

As though I had been given a deadly serpent's poison to drink.

وذي ضغنٍ كففتُ النفسَ عنهُ

وذي ضغنٍ كففتُ النفسَ عنهُ

وكنتُ على مساءتِهِ مُقيتُ

وكنتُ على مساءتِهِ مُقيتُ

And from many a man nursing rancor I have held myself back,

From a man bearing rancor I restrained myself,

though I was fully capable of harming him.

Though I had the power to do him harm.

وسيفي صارمٌ لا عيبَ فيه

وسيفي صارمٌ لا عيبَ فيه

ويمنعني من الرَّهَقِ النبيتُ

ويمنعني من الرَّهَقِ النبيتُ

My sword is keen, with no flaw in it,

My sword is sharp, without a flaw,

but al-Nabīt, my clan, restrains me from reckless wrongdoing.

And al-Nabit shields me from oppression.

متى ما يأتِ يومي لا تجدني

متى ما يأتِ يومي لا تجدني

بمالي حينَ أترُكُهُ شَقِيتُ

بمالي حينَ أترُكُهُ شَقِيتُ

Whenever my appointed day comes, you will not find me

Whenever my day comes, you will not find me

grieving over the wealth I then leave behind.

Distressed over my wealth when I leave it behind.

ألينُ لهُم وأفديهم بِنَفسي

ألينُ لهُم وأفديهم بِنَفسي

مقارشةَ الرِّماحِ إذا لقيتُ

مقارشةَ الرِّماحِ إذا لقيتُ

I am gentle with them and ransom them with my own life,

I am gentle with them and ransom them with my life

in the close press of spears, when I meet the foe.

At the clash of spears, when I meet the foe.

وأرهَنُ في الحوادثِ كفَّ بكري

وأرهَنُ في الحوادثِ كفَّ بكري

لجاري في العظيمةِ إن دُهيتُ

لجاري في العظيمةِ إن دُهيتُ

Amid calamities, I pledge my firstborn’s hand

And in calamities I pledge my firstborn's hand

for my neighbor in a grave crisis, if disaster overtakes me.

For my neighbor in grave trouble, if calamity befalls me.

أراهُ ما أقامَ عليَّ حقّاً

أراهُ ما أقامَ عليَّ حقّاً

شريكي في بلادي ما بقيتُ

شريكي في بلادي ما بقيتُ

So long as he remains, I regard him as having a rightful claim upon me,

I regard him, as long as he remains—as is my duty—

my partner in my lands for as long as I live.

As my partner in my lands for as long as I live.