جُنَّ قَلبي بِذِكرِ أُمِّ الغُلامِ

جُنَّ قَلبي بِذِكرِ أُمِّ الغُلامِ

يَومَ قالَت لَنا لِجُوا بِسَلامِ

يَومَ قالَت لَنا لِجُوا بِسَلامِ

My heart went mad at the mention of Umm al-Ghulām,

My heart is possessed by the memory of Umm Al-Ghalam

On the day she told us: Enter in peace.

The day she bid us goodbye and depart in peace

زَيَّنَت لي شَواكِلي كُلَّ لَهوٍ

زَيَّنَت لي شَواكِلي كُلَّ لَهوٍ

ذاتُ لَوثٍ مِنَ الصَباحِ الوِسام

ذاتُ لَوثٍ مِنَ الصَباحِ الوِسام

She made every pleasure alluring to my inclinations—

She adorned my trifles and meaningless distractions

A full-figured woman among the fair and lovely.

An essence of grace from the beautiful morning

رُبَّما مِثلَها تَسَدَّيتُ وَهناً

رُبَّما مِثلَها تَسَدَّيتُ وَهناً

بَعدَ فَترٍ وَتَحتَ داجي الظَلامِ

بَعدَ فَترٍ وَتَحتَ داجي الظَلامِ

Often I have approached a woman like her late at night,

I may have dozed here feeling tired

After a while, beneath thick darkness.

After a pause, under the shade of darkness

ثُمَّ نَبَّهتُها فَهَبَّت كَسُولاً

ثُمَّ نَبَّهتُها فَهَبَّت كَسُولاً

فاهَةً ما تُبِينُ رَجعَ الكَلامِ

فاهَةً ما تُبِينُ رَجعَ الكَلامِ

Then I woke her, and she rose sluggishly,

Then she woke me up and I jumped startled

Inarticulate, unable to make her reply clear,

Mute, unable to find words to respond

ساعَةً ثُمَّ إِنَّها بَعدُ قالَت

ساعَةً ثُمَّ إِنَّها بَعدُ قالَت

وَيلَتا قَد عَجلتَ يا بنَ الكِرامِ

وَيلَتا قَد عَجلتَ يا بنَ الكِرامِ

For a while; then afterward she said:

After a while she said to me

Alas for me! You have hurried, O son of the noble!

“Alas you’ve been quick, O noble one!”

أَعلى غَيرِ مَوعِدٍ جِئتَ تَسري

أَعلى غَيرِ مَوعِدٍ جِئتَ تَسري

تَتَخطّى إِلى رؤوسِ النِيام

تَتَخطّى إِلى رؤوسِ النِيام

Have you come traveling by night without an appointment,

“Without appointing a time, you came rushing

Picking your way toward the sleepers' heads?

Stepping over the heads of those asleep”

عَذَلتِني فَقُلتُ لا تَعذُليني

عَذَلتِني فَقُلتُ لا تَعذُليني

وَدَعي اللَومَ وَاقصِدي في المَلامِ

وَدَعي اللَومَ وَاقصِدي في المَلامِ

You reproached me, so I said: Do not reproach me;

She reproached me and I said “don’t reproach me

And leave off blame, and be moderate in reproach.

Stop blaming and direct me gently”

قَد تَجَشَّمتُ ما تَرَينَ مِنَ الهَو

قَد تَجَشَّمتُ ما تَرَينَ مِنَ الهَو

لِ وَما جِئتُ هَهُنا لِخِصامِ

لِ وَما جِئتُ هَهُنا لِخِصامِ

I have braved the terror you see,

I’ve endured what you see of bewilderment

And I have not come here to quarrel.

And I did not come here to argue

فَارعَوَت بَعدَ نَفرَةٍ نَفَرَتها

فَارعَوَت بَعدَ نَفرَةٍ نَفَرَتها

بِسُكُونٍ وَهَمزَةٍ وَاِبتِسامِ

بِسُكُونٍ وَهَمزَةٍ وَاِبتِسامِ

So she relented after the recoil she had shown,

Then she smiled after her initial frown

With calm, a nudge, and a smile.

With composure, a gesture, and a smile

وَعَلى الباب ذي الشَفِيقَةِ سُعدى

وَعَلى الباب ذي الشَفِيقَةِ سُعدى

لا أَرى مِثلَها مِنَ الخُدّامِ

لا أَرى مِثلَها مِنَ الخُدّامِ

And at the door was this kindly Suʿdā,

Near the door was good fortune’s maid

I see no servant like her.

None like her among all the maids

كُلَّما صَفَّقَت وَثَبنَ إِلَيها

كُلَّما صَفَّقَت وَثَبنَ إِلَيها

كَقِيامِ الشُرطِيِّ عِندَ الإِمامِ

كَقِيامِ الشُرطِيِّ عِندَ الإِمامِ

Whenever she clapped, they sprang toward her,

Every time she clapped, she leapt up to her

Like a guardsman rising before the imam.

Like the rise of the imam during prayer

يَتَسَوَّكنَ قَبلَ كُلِّ طَعامٍ

يَتَسَوَّكنَ قَبلَ كُلِّ طَعامٍ

وَاسِعاتُ الجُيوبِ وَالأَكمامِ

وَاسِعاتُ الجُيوبِ وَالأَكمامِ

They clean their teeth before every meal,

Calm before every meal

With wide neck openings and sleeves.

With ample robe and sleeves

حَبَّذا هُنَّ حَيثُ كُنَّ مِنَ الأَر

حَبَّذا هُنَّ حَيثُ كُنَّ مِنَ الأَر

ضِ وَلَو بَينَ زَمزَمٍ وَالمَقامِ

ضِ وَلَو بَينَ زَمزَمٍ وَالمَقامِ

How lovely they are, wherever they may be on earth,

How wonderful they are wherever they are

Even between Zamzam and the Maqam.

Even between Zamzam and the Kaaba