ياAh لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowing هَلwhether يُخبَرُis given news الطَلَلُthe ruined campsite
يا لَيتَ شِعري هَل يُخبَرُ الطَلَلُ
وَلَيتَand would that شِعريmy knowing لِأَيَّةٍto which destination رَحَلُواthey departed
وَلَيتَ شِعري لِأَيَّةٍ رَحَلُوا
If only I knew—can the deserted campsite tell?
Ah, would that I knew—has the ruined campsite any news?
And if only I knew what place they journeyed toward.
And would that I knew to what destination they departed.
أَكانَwas it? نَحوَtoward العِراقِIraq وِجهَتُهُمtheir destination
أَكانَ نَحوَ العِراقِ وِجهَتُهُم
أَوor نَحوَtoward سَلعٍSalʿ تَحَمَّلَset out الثَقَلُthe baggage train
أَو نَحوَ سَلعٍ تَحَمَّلَ الثَقَلُ
Was their destination toward Iraq,
Was their course toward Iraq,
or did they load their baggage and set out toward Salʿ?
Or did the baggage train set out toward Salʿ?
قَدindeed كِدتُI nearly أَقضيdie غَداةَon the morning of بَينِهِمِtheir parting
قَد كِدتُ أَقضي غَداةَ بَينِهِمِ
لَمّاwhen تَنادواthey called to one another فيin الصُبحthe morning وَاِحتَمَلُواand they departed
لَمّا تَنادوا في الصُبح وَاِحتَمَلُوا
I nearly died on the morning of their parting,
Indeed, I nearly died on the morning of their parting,
when they called to one another at dawn and moved away.
When they called to one another at dawn and departed.
وَفِيهمand among them حُرَّةٌa freeborn woman مُبَتَّلَةٌperfectly formed
وَفِيهم حُرَّةٌ مُبَتَّلَةٌ
مَهضُومَةُslender الكَشحِthe waist ماnot لَهاshe has مَثَلُan equal
مَهضُومَةُ الكَشحِ ما لَها مَثَلُ
And among them was a noblewoman, perfectly formed,
And among them was a freeborn woman, perfectly formed,
slender-waisted, without an equal.
Slender-waisted, with no equal.
مَلِيحَةُlovely الدَلِّin coy grace كَالمَهاةlike a female oryx لَهاshe has
مَلِيحَةُ الدَلِّ كَالمَهاة لَها
لَونٌa complexion جَلاهُmade it radiant النَعِيمُluxury فَالكِلَلُand then the canopies
لَونٌ جَلاهُ النَعِيمُ فَالكِلَلُ
Lovely in her coy grace, like an oryx doe, she had
Lovely in her coy grace, like an oryx, she has
a complexion luxury had burnished to perfection.
A complexion made radiant by luxury and curtained canopies.
قَدsurely يَعلَمُknows اللَهُGod أَنَّthat نَأَيَكُمُyour absence
قَد يَعلَمُ اللَهُ أَنَّ نَأَيَكُمُ
حُزنٌgrief وَأَنّيand that I بِقُربِكُمwith you near جَذِلُjoyful
حُزنٌ وَأَنّي بِقُربِكُم جَذِلُ
God surely knows that your remoteness
God surely knows that your absence
is sorrow, and that near you I rejoice.
Is grief, and that I am joyful when you are near.
