أَلا بانَ بِالرَهنِ الغَداةَ الحَبائِبُ

أَلا بانَ بِالرَهنِ الغَداةَ الحَبائِبُ

فَأَنتَ تَكُفُّ الدَمعَ وَالدَمعُ غالِبُ

فَأَنتَ تَكُفُّ الدَمعَ وَالدَمعُ غالِبُ

Ah, this morning the beloveds departed with the pledge,

Behold, at dawn the beloved ones set out with the pledge

and you restrain your tears, though tears prevail.

Yet you hold back your tears while tears prevail

وَأَضحى بَناتُ البُلعُمانِ كَأَنَّها

وَأَضحى بَناتُ البُلعُمانِ كَأَنَّها

جَوارٍ عِجافٌ جَشَّبَتها الرَبائِبُ

جَوارٍ عِجافٌ جَشَّبَتها الرَبائِبُ

And the daughters of al-Bulʿumān have come to resemble

The sand grouse chicks now seem to be

gaunt slave girls fed coarse fare by their mistresses.

Thin, shriveled scrapings browsed by the young

يُطِفنَ بِمَنقوبِ الفَرائِصِ شارِفٍ

يُطِفنَ بِمَنقوبِ الفَرائِصِ شارِفٍ

عَلى مَنكِبَيهِ مِن نِجادٍ خَبائِبُ

عَلى مَنكِبَيهِ مِن نِجادٍ خَبائِبُ

They circle an old camel with pierced flanks,

They circle about the saddle-bags of the litter

with shreds of a sword-belt upon its shoulders.

With a youthful, comely driver astride the neck

رَأَيتُ أَبا النَجّارِ حارَدَ إِبلَهُ

رَأَيتُ أَبا النَجّارِ حارَدَ إِبلَهُ

وَأَلهى كَثيراً أَعنُزٌ وَرَكائِبُ

وَأَلهى كَثيراً أَعنُزٌ وَرَكائِبُ

I saw Abu al-Najjar quarrel with his camels,

I saw Abu Najjar, his camels bellowing, driven on

while goats and riding-camels distracted Kathīr.

While many a she-goat and roebuck frisked around