عَفَت أَجَلى مِن أَهلِها فَقَليبها

عَفَت أَجَلى مِن أَهلِها فَقَليبها

إِلى الدَومِ فَالرَنقاءِ قَفراً كَثيبُها

إِلى الدَومِ فَالرَنقاءِ قَفراً كَثيبُها

Ajalā has faded, emptied of its people, and so has its well,

She outshone the fairest of her people, though her heart inclined

as far as al-Dawm and al-Ranqāʾ; its dune lies desolate.

Towards Ed-Dawma then Er-Ranqaa, a barren desert her dunes.

إِذا هَبَّتِ الأَرواحُ كانَ أَحَبَّها

إِذا هَبَّتِ الأَرواحُ كانَ أَحَبَّها

إِلَيَّ الَّتي من نَحوِ نَجدٍ هُبوبُها

إِلَيَّ الَّتي من نَحوِ نَجدٍ هُبوبُها

Whenever the winds blow, the dearest of them

When the winds blow, the one I love most

to me is the one blowing from the direction of Najd.

Comes from the direction of Najd, its gusts blowing.

وَإِنّي لَيَدعوني إِلى طاعَةِ الهَوى

وَإِنّي لَيَدعوني إِلى طاعَةِ الهَوى

كَواعِبُ أَترابٌ مِراضٌ قلوبها

كَواعِبُ أَترابٌ مِراضٌ قلوبها

And indeed, I am summoned to obey desire

The alluring maidens beckon me to obey desire

by swelling-breasted maidens of equal age, their hearts lovesick.

With lovesick hearts, their bosoms diseased.

كَأَنَّ الشِفاهَ الحُوَّ مِنهُنَّ حمِّلت

كَأَنَّ الشِفاهَ الحُوَّ مِنهُنَّ حمِّلت

ذَرى بَرَدٍ يَنهَلُّ عَنها غُروبُها

ذَرى بَرَدٍ يَنهَلُّ عَنها غُروبُها

As though their dusky lips were laden

As if their sweet mouths were laden

with hailstone crests, from which their saliva streams.

With the coolness of hail, the eve its outpouring.

بِهِنَّ مِنَ الداءِ الَّذي أَنا عارِفٌ

بِهِنَّ مِنَ الداءِ الَّذي أَنا عارِفٌ

وما يَعرِفُ الأَدواءَ إِلّا طبيبُها

وما يَعرِفُ الأَدواءَ إِلّا طبيبُها

They have something of the sickness I know,

I know the malady I suffer from them

and none knows maladies but their physician.

And none knows the remedy save its physician.

سَمِعتُ وَأَصحابي بِذي النَخلِ نازِلاً

سَمِعتُ وَأَصحابي بِذي النَخلِ نازِلاً

وَقَد يَشعَفُ النَفسَ الشَعاعَ حَبيبُها

وَقَد يَشعَفُ النَفسَ الشَعاعَ حَبيبُها

I heard, encamped with my companions at Dhū al-Nakhl—

I heard while staying at Dhi Al-Nakhl my friends

and the distracted soul may be set aflame by its beloved—

Whose souls the brilliance of their beloved enraptures.

دُعاءً بِذي البُردَينِ مِن أُمِّ طارِقٍ

دُعاءً بِذي البُردَينِ مِن أُمِّ طارِقٍ

فَيا عَمرو هَل تَبدو لَنا فَتُجِيبُها

فَيا عَمرو هَل تَبدو لَنا فَتُجِيبُها

a call at Dhū al-Burdayn from Umm Ṭāriq.

Calling upon Thu Al-Burdayn from Umm Tariq's abode,

So, O ʿAmr, will you appear to us and answer her?

"Will you appear to us, O Amr, and answer her?"

وَما رَوضَةٌ بِالحَزنِ قَفرٌ مَجودَةٌ

وَما رَوضَةٌ بِالحَزنِ قَفرٌ مَجودَةٌ

يَمُجُّ النَدى رَيهانُها وَصَبيبُها

يَمُجُّ النَدى رَيهانُها وَصَبيبُها

And no lonely meadow on rugged ground, drenched with rain,

No meadow, when sad, is a barren waste

whose fragrant herbs and safflower exude dew,

That the dew rains over, its plants watered.

بِأَطيَبَ بَعدَ النَومِ مِن أُمِّ طارِقٍ

بِأَطيَبَ بَعدَ النَومِ مِن أُمِّ طارِقٍ

وَلا طَعمُ عُنقودٍ عَقارٍ زَبيبُها

وَلا طَعمُ عُنقودٍ عَقارٍ زَبيبُها

is sweeter after sleep than Umm Ṭāriq,

With the sweetest scent after sleep from Umm Tariq

nor is the taste of a grape-cluster whose raisins yield wine.

And no taste of buds or grapes like its raisins.