أَلا هَلْ إِلى أَرْضٍ بِها أُمُّ سالِمٍ

أَلا هَلْ إِلى أَرْضٍ بِها أُمُّ سالِمٍ

وُصولٌ لِطاوي شُقَّةٍ وَبَلاغُ

وُصولٌ لِطاوي شُقَّةٍ وَبَلاغُ

Ah, can the land where Umm Salim dwells

Oh, is there no way to a land where dwells a mother of peace?

be reached by one traversing a long distance?

A land that soothes the heart grown weary, and offers repose?

فَلَيْسَ لِماءٍ بَعْدَ لِينَةَ بِالحِمى

فَلَيْسَ لِماءٍ بَعْدَ لِينَةَ بِالحِمى

إِذا ذُقْتُه بَيْنَ الضُّلوعِ مَساغُ

إِذا ذُقْتُه بَيْنَ الضُّلوعِ مَساغُ

For after Linah, no water in the protected pasture,

Once drunk, no more can water quench my thirst's unease

when I taste it, finds passage between my ribs.

Between my ribs it sears me as it flows

أَصُدُّ عَنِ الواشِي كَأَنِّي طَريدَةٌ

أَصُدُّ عَنِ الواشِي كَأَنِّي طَريدَةٌ

تُراعُ بِمُسْتَنِّ الرَّدى وَتُراغُ

تُراعُ بِمُسْتَنِّ الرَّدى وَتُراغُ

I turn away from the talebearer, as though I were hunted game,

I shy from she who sought me, like a chased gazelle

frightened in death's path and pursued.

Who starts and bounds at every hint of her pursuer's sounds

وَأَصْبُو وَيَلْحانِي على الحُبِّ عاذِلي

وَأَصْبُو وَيَلْحانِي على الحُبِّ عاذِلي

وَأَيْنَ فُؤادٌ لِلسُّلُوِّ يُصاغُ

وَأَيْنَ فُؤادٌ لِلسُّلُوِّ يُصاغُ

And I yearn, while my reprover censures me for love;

While she who scorns my love berates me without fail

and where is a heart fashioned to forget?

Where is the heart that can such constant scolding take unbowed?

وَمَنْ شَغَلَتْهُ بِالهَوى نَظَراتُها

وَمَنْ شَغَلَتْهُ بِالهَوى نَظَراتُها

فَلَيْسَ لَهُ حَتَّى المَمّاتِ فَراغُ

فَلَيْسَ لَهُ حَتَّى المَمّاتِ فَراغُ

And whoever her glances have engrossed in passion

And he whose eyes by her were caught can never more know peace

has no respite until death.

Not even in death can he escape her thoroughly