قِفَا بالمَطَايا بَيْنَ نَجْدٍ وَشِعْبهِ

قِفَا بالمَطَايا بَيْنَ نَجْدٍ وَشِعْبهِ

نُوْدِي تَحِيْاتِ الغرَامِ لِصْبِّهِ

نُوْدِي تَحِيْاتِ الغرَامِ لِصْبِّهِ

You two, halt the mounts between Najd and its ravine.

Stop with the camels between Najd and its valley,

Let us offer love’s greetings to its lovesick one.

I call out greetings of passion to its youth.

فبَيْنَ رُبَا تِلْكَ الرِّبُوع منَازلٌ

فبَيْنَ رُبَا تِلْكَ الرِّبُوع منَازلٌ

لِعَلْوَة مَاءَ الدَّمْع أكْثَرُ شرْبِهِ

لِعَلْوَة مَاءَ الدَّمْع أكْثَرُ شرْبِهِ

For among the hills of those dwelling grounds are homes

For between visits to that land are stages,

For ʿAlwa; the water of tears forms most of its drink.

Where copious tears provide more drink.

إذَا مَا التَثَمْنَا بِالنَوَاظِرِ تُرْبَةً

إذَا مَا التَثَمْنَا بِالنَوَاظِرِ تُرْبَةً

تَمَسَّكَتِ الأَجْفَانُ مِنَّا بِتُرْبِهِ

تَمَسَّكَتِ الأَجْفَانُ مِنَّا بِتُرْبِهِ

Whenever we kiss a patch of earth with our eyes,

When we smear our eyes with soil as kohl,

Our eyelids cling to its dust.

Our eyelids cling to its soil.

أَحِنُّ إِليْهَا وَهَىْ قَلْبي وَهَلْ تَرَى

أَحِنُّ إِليْهَا وَهَىْ قَلْبي وَهَلْ تَرَى

سِوَاىَ أَخُو وَجْدٍ يَحِنُّ لِقَلْبِهِ

سِوَاىَ أَخُو وَجْدٍ يَحِنُّ لِقَلْبِهِ

I yearn for her, though she is my heart; and do you see

I yearn for her, for she is my heart, can you see

Anyone but me, a lover yearning for his own heart?

A friend feeling heartache like mine?

وَيُحْجَبُ طَرْفِي عَنْهُ إِذْ هُوَ نَاظِرِي

وَيُحْجَبُ طَرْفِي عَنْهُ إِذْ هُوَ نَاظِرِي

فَمَا بُعْدُهُ إلاَّ لإِفْرَاطِ قُرْبِهِ

فَمَا بُعْدُهُ إلاَّ لإِفْرَاطِ قُرْبِهِ

And my gaze is veiled from it, since it is my very eye;

My eyes are veiled from him when he looks to me,

Its distance is thus only due to its excessive nearness.

His nearness hides him, though he is not far.