طَرَقتْ علوَةُ والرَّملُ شجٍ

طَرَقتْ علوَةُ والرَّملُ شجٍ

بالدُّجى والأَنجُمُ الزُهرُ جُنوحُ

بالدُّجى والأَنجُمُ الزُهرُ جُنوحُ

ʿUlwa came by night, while the sand was sorrowful,

The high sand dunes were struck at dusk,

In the darkness, with the bright stars sinking,

By gloom and glittering stars that weep.

حَيث غَنَّى ابنُ عليم طَرباً

حَيث غَنَّى ابنُ عليم طَرباً

وَالحَمامُ الوُرقُ في الأَيكِ تَنوحُ

وَالحَمامُ الوُرقُ في الأَيكِ تَنوحُ

Where Ibn ʿAlīm sang in rapture,

Where Ibn Alim sang melodiously,

While the gray doves lamented in the thicket.

And doves were cooing in the bushes and thickets.

وأَريجُ المسكِ مِن أَردانِها

وأَريجُ المسكِ مِن أَردانِها

يُوقَظُ الرَّكبُ بِهِ حينَ يَفوحُ

يُوقَظُ الرَّكبُ بِهِ حينَ يَفوحُ

And the fragrance of musk from her sleeves—

The fragrance of musk from her braids

The caravan was roused by it when it wafted.

Would awaken the caravan when exuded.

وأَحسوا بِسُراها فاِنثنتْ

وأَحسوا بِسُراها فاِنثنتْ

بِفؤادِ الصَبِّ وَالدَّمعُ سَفوحُ

بِفؤادِ الصَبِّ وَالدَّمعُ سَفوحُ

And they sensed her passage by night, so she turned away

And they sensed her charm so she swayed

With the lovesick one's heart, while tears poured freely.

The youth’s heart as tears flowed freely.

وهيَ تَسري روضَةً مطلولَةً

وهيَ تَسري روضَةً مطلولَةً

كَيفَ يُخفي نَشرَهُ الرَّوضُ النَّفوحُ

كَيفَ يُخفي نَشرَهُ الرَّوضُ النَّفوحُ

And she traveled by night, a dew-sprinkled garden—

She walked through the garden exposed

How can a fragrant garden hide its scent?

How could the burgeoning garden conceal her blossoming beauty?

فَأَضاءَ الصُّبحُ واجتازَ بنا

فَأَضاءَ الصُّبحُ واجتازَ بنا

بارِقٌ مِن خِلَلِ المُزنِ لَموحُ

بارِقٌ مِن خِلَلِ المُزنِ لَموحُ

Then dawn shone, and there passed by us

The dawn lit up and we passed by

A flickering lightning flash from between the rain clouds.

A glimpse through the misty darkness flickered.

وكلا النُّورَينِ مِن مَسفَرِها

وكلا النُّورَينِ مِن مَسفَرِها

وَثَناياها عَلى النَّأيِ يَلوحُ

وَثَناياها عَلى النَّأيِ يَلوحُ

And both lights, from her unveiled face

Both lights from her radiance

And her front teeth, gleam from afar.

And her folds in the distance appeared.

فتَبَصرتُ فَلَم تؤْنِسْهما

فتَبَصرتُ فَلَم تؤْنِسْهما

مُقلَةٌ في وَشَلِ الدَّمعِ سَبوحُ

مُقلَةٌ في وَشَلِ الدَّمعِ سَبوحُ

So I looked closely, but neither light was discerned

I looked but could not find solace

By an eye swimming in a trickle of tears.

In swollen tears of deep sorrow drowning.

تُظهِرُ الوجدَ الَّذي أُضمِرُهُ

تُظهِرُ الوجدَ الَّذي أُضمِرُهُ

وَعَناءٌ مَرَحُ الطَّرفِ الطَّموحُ

وَعَناءٌ مَرَحُ الطَّرفِ الطَّموحُ

It reveals the passion that I conceal,

Revealing the passion I harbored

And the eager gaze's exuberance is torment.

And the restless, roving glance of ambition.

إِن تَبُح بالسِّرِّ عَينٌ دَمَعَتْ

إِن تَبُح بالسِّرِّ عَينٌ دَمَعَتْ

فَدموعُ العَينِ بِالسِّرِّ تَبوحُ

فَدموعُ العَينِ بِالسِّرِّ تَبوحُ

If an eye divulges the secret, it sheds tears;

If the eye weeps and confides the secret

For the eye's tears divulge the secret.

Then the eye's tears will reveal the secret.