يا لَيتَ شِعري عَمَّن كَلِفتُ بِهِ

يا لَيتَ شِعري عَمَّن كَلِفتُ بِهِ

مِن خَثعَمٍ إِذ نأَيتُ ما صَنَعوا

مِن خَثعَمٍ إِذ نأَيتُ ما صَنَعوا

Oh, would that I knew about those I am enamored of,

Oh how I wish I knew who wronged me

from Khath‘am—what they did when I went far away.

Of the Khath'am tribe when I avoided their deeds

قَومٌ يَحُلُّونَ بِالسَّديرِ وَبِال

قَومٌ يَحُلُّونَ بِالسَّديرِ وَبِال

حيرَةِ مِنهُم مَرأَى وَمُستَمَعُ

حيرَةِ مِنهُم مَرأَى وَمُستَمَعُ

A people who dwell in al-Sadir and in

A people who camp at As-Sadir and Al-Haira

al-Hira; among them is a sight to behold and something to hear.

I see them and hear them

أَن شَطَّتِ الدارُ عَن ديارِهِمُ

أَن شَطَّتِ الدارُ عَن ديارِهِمُ

أَأَمسَكوا بِالوِصالِ أَم قَطَعوا

أَأَمسَكوا بِالوِصالِ أَم قَطَعوا

Now that my dwelling lies far from their dwellings,

That the abode turned away from their homes

have they held fast to the bond, or severed it?

Did they keep to fidelity or did they sever it

بَل هُم عَلى خَيرِ ما عَهِدتُ وَما

بَل هُم عَلى خَيرِ ما عَهِدتُ وَما

ذَلِكَ إِلا التأميلُ والطَّمَعُ

ذَلِكَ إِلا التأميلُ والطَّمَعُ

Rather, they are as good as I knew them to be; and

Nay, they are upon the best I knew and what

that is nothing but hope and longing.

That is none but yearning and longing