قالت وقد قوضت خيامهم

قالت وقد قوضت خيامهم

واستسلموا للنوى بذي سلم

واستسلموا للنوى بذي سلم

She said, when their tents had been struck,

She said, and their tents were struck

and they had yielded to separation at Dhu Salam,

And they surrendered to fate at Dhi Salm

للسائق المستحث رد على

للسائق المستحث رد على

الواقف السلام واستقم

الواقف السلام واستقم

to the hurrying driver: 'Return to

To the driver urging haste, greet

the standing man his greeting, and go straight on.'

The bystander, then proceed straight on

فصمت وجداً والبين مبتسم

فصمت وجداً والبين مبتسم

ألقاه مني مفرقي بمبتسمي

ألقاه مني مفرقي بمبتسمي

So I fell silent with longing, while parting smiled;

So he was silent, serious, while the spurner smiled

my crown meets it for me with my smile.

At me, spurning with my smile

الله يا سلم في صريع هوى

الله يا سلم في صريع هوى

أبقيت منه لحماً على وضم

أبقيت منه لحماً على وضم

For God's sake, O Salm, have mercy on one struck down by love:

O Salm, by God if in love's agony

you have left of him only flesh upon a butcher's block.

You left any flesh on their bones to cleave