فؤادٌ بِبَينِ الظاعِنينَ مُرَوَّعُ

فؤادٌ بِبَينِ الظاعِنينَ مُرَوَّعُ

وَعَينٌ عَلى إِثر الأَحِبَّةِ تَدمَعُ

وَعَينٌ عَلى إِثر الأَحِبَّةِ تَدمَعُ

A heart is terrified by the travelers' departure,

A heart confused amidst the censures,

and an eye weeps in the wake of loved ones.

An eye shedding tears for loved ones lost,

وَكَيفَ أُواري عَبرَةً سَمَحَتْ بِها

وَكَيفَ أُواري عَبرَةً سَمَحَتْ بِها

وَإِن حَضَرَ الواشي وَسَلمى تُوَدِّعُ

وَإِن حَضَرَ الواشي وَسَلمى تُوَدِّعُ

And how can I hide a tear my eye has shed,

How can I hide the tears that fall unbidden

even if the talebearer is present, as Salma bids farewell?

When spies draw near or friends bid their farewells?

فَيا دَهرُ رِفقاً إِنَّ بَينَ جوانِحي

فَيا دَهرُ رِفقاً إِنَّ بَينَ جوانِحي

حُشاشَةَ نَفسٍ مِن أَسىً تَتَقَطَّعُ

حُشاشَةَ نَفسٍ مِن أَسىً تَتَقَطَّعُ

So, O Time, be gentle: between my ribs lies

O Fate, have mercy! My very soul

a remnant of life, torn apart by grief.

Is torn by grief and sorrow untold.

فَما كُلَّ يَومٍ لي فؤادٌ تَروعُهُ

فَما كُلَّ يَومٍ لي فؤادٌ تَروعُهُ

وَلا كَبِدٌ مِمّا بِهِ تَتَصَدَّعُ

وَلا كَبِدٌ مِمّا بِهِ تَتَصَدَّعُ

For I do not have a heart each day for you to terrify,

Not every day my heart is shaken so,

nor a liver to split apart from what is within it.

Nor does my liver break from every woe.

أَيُجمَعُ شَملٌ أَو تُراحُ مَطيَّةٌ

أَيُجمَعُ شَملٌ أَو تُراحُ مَطيَّةٌ

وَأَنتَ بِتَفريقِ الأَحِبَّةِ مُولَعُ

وَأَنتَ بِتَفريقِ الأَحِبَّةِ مُولَعُ

Can a company be reunited, or a mount be given rest,

Will kin reunite or travelers find rest,

while you delight in parting loved ones?

While you take joy in parting those close-pressed?

وَلَمّا تَجَلَّتْ لِلوَداعِ وَأَشرَقَتْ

وَلَمّا تَجَلَّتْ لِلوَداعِ وَأَشرَقَتْ

وجوهٌ كَأَنَّ الشَّمسَ مِنهُنَّ تَطلُعُ

وجوهٌ كَأَنَّ الشَّمسَ مِنهُنَّ تَطلُعُ

And when, revealed for farewell, there shone

When radiant faces shone for last goodbyes

faces from which the sun seemed to rise,

Like suns arising, tears welled in my eyes.

وَقَفنا بِوادي ذي الأَراكَةِ وَالحَشى

وَقَفنا بِوادي ذي الأَراكَةِ وَالحَشى

يَذوبُ وَما لِلصَبرِ في القَلبِ مَوضِعُ

يَذوبُ وَما لِلصَبرِ في القَلبِ مَوضِعُ

we stood in the valley of Dhu al-Arakah, while my vitals

We stood in a valley of bushes and brambles,

melted, and patience had no place in the heart.

Melting with grief, for patience has no place.

وَلَيسَ بِهِ إِلّا حَبيبٌ مُوَدِّعٌ

وَلَيسَ بِهِ إِلّا حَبيبٌ مُوَدِّعٌ

عَلى وَجَلٍ يَتلوهُ دَمعٌ مُشَيِّعُ

عَلى وَجَلٍ يَتلوهُ دَمعٌ مُشَيِّعُ

And within it was only a beloved bidding farewell,

None remains but a lover bidding adieu,

in dread, followed by tears that escort him.

Disconsolate, with tears of farewell trailing.

وَقَد كادَ أَجفانٌ شَرِقنَ بِأَدمُعٍ

وَقَد كادَ أَجفانٌ شَرِقنَ بِأَدمُعٍ

يُنَشِّرنَ أَسراراً طَوَتهُنَّ أَضلُعُ

يُنَشِّرنَ أَسراراً طَوَتهُنَّ أَضلُعُ

And eyelids, choked with tears, almost

Eyes once bright with tears now dimmed

revealed secrets the ribs had folded away.

Secrets unlocked as dams within are breached.

فَلَيتَ جِمالَ المالكيَّةِ إِذ نأت

فَلَيتَ جِمالَ المالكيَّةِ إِذ نأت

أَقامَت بِنَجدٍ وَهيَ حَسرى وَظُلَّعُ

أَقامَت بِنَجدٍ وَهيَ حَسرى وَظُلَّعُ

If only al-Malikiyyah's camels, when she went far away,

Would that the beauties of Malik's line remained

had stayed in Najd, exhausted and lame!

Established in Nejd, though sorrowed and aggrieved,

فَلِمْ حَمَلَتها وَهيَ كارِهَةُ النَوى

فَلِمْ حَمَلَتها وَهيَ كارِهَةُ النَوى

إِلى حَيثُ لا يَستَوقِفُ العيسَ مَرتَعُ

إِلى حَيثُ لا يَستَوقِفُ العيسَ مَرتَعُ

Why did they carry her, though she hates separation,

Why were they, though loathing departure, compelled

to where no pasture halts the pale camels?

To where the night-fires have no place to graze?

وَهَذا مَصِيفٌ بِالحِمى لا تَمَلُّهُ

وَهَذا مَصِيفٌ بِالحِمى لا تَمَلُّهُ

وَفيهِ لِمَن يَهوى البَداوَةَ مَربَعُ

وَفيهِ لِمَن يَهوى البَداوَةَ مَربَعُ

And here in the protected pasture is a summering ground she never tires of,

This is a summering place with no shortages,

and in it a spring encampment for whoever loves Bedouin life.

A refuge for those desiring the desert’s breadth,

وَعارِضَةٍ وَصلاً تَصامَمتُ إِذ دَعَتْ

وَعارِضَةٍ وَصلاً تَصامَمتُ إِذ دَعَتْ

وَأُختُ بَنِي وَرقاءَ تَدعو فَأَسمَعُ

وَأُختُ بَنِي وَرقاءَ تَدعو فَأَسمَعُ

And to many a woman offering union I feigned deafness when she called,

But the rival drew near, so I turned away

but the sister of Banu Warqa calls, and I listen.

When the sister of Bani Wirqa came calling.

وَذو الغَدرِ لا يَرعى تَليدَ مَوَدَّةٍ

وَذو الغَدرِ لا يَرعى تَليدَ مَوَدَّةٍ

وَيَقتادُهُ الوُدُّ الطَّريفُ فَيَتبَعُ

وَيَقتادُهُ الوُدُّ الطَّريفُ فَيَتبَعُ

And the faithless man does not cherish longstanding affection,

The betrayer respects no enduring affection,

and newfound love leads him, so he follows.

Sweet fidelity leads him on though he feigns rejection.

وَلَو سأَلَتْنِي غَيرَهُ لَرَجَعتُها

وَلَو سأَلَتْنِي غَيرَهُ لَرَجَعتُها

بِهِ فالهَوى لِلمالِكيَّةِ أَجمَعُ

بِهِ فالهَوى لِلمالِكيَّةِ أَجمَعُ

And had she asked me for anything else, I would have sent her back

Had another asked, I'd have turned her back,

with it; for all my love belongs to al-Malikiyyah.

For my love is only for the Maliki tribe entire.