قَالَت وَقُلتُ تَحَرَّجي وَصلي

قَالَت وَقُلتُ تَحَرَّجي وَصلي

حَبلَ امرئٍ بِوِصالِكُم صَبِّ

حَبلَ امرئٍ بِوِصالِكُم صَبِّ

She spoke, and I said, “Be scrupulous, and preserve

She said, and I said: "Show restraint and pray,

the bond of a man passionately longing for union with you.”

The rope of a man is in your connection."

واصِل إِذَن بَعلي فَقُلتُ لَها

واصِل إِذَن بَعلي فَقُلتُ لَها

الغَدرُ شيءٌ لَيسَ مِن ضَربي

الغَدرُ شيءٌ لَيسَ مِن ضَربي

“Then keep ties with my husband.” I said to her,

So unite with my husband, I told her.

“Treachery is not my way.

Betrayal is not of my kind.

ثِنتانِ لا أَدنو لِوَصلِهما

ثِنتانِ لا أَدنو لِوَصلِهما

عِرسُ الخَليلِ وَجارَةُ الجَنبِ

عِرسُ الخَليلِ وَجارَةُ الجَنبِ

There are two women whose love I will not seek:

There are two I will not join together:

a friend's wife and the woman next door.

The neighbor of my friend and of my side.

أَما الخَليلُ فَلَستُ فاجِعَهُ

أَما الخَليلُ فَلَستُ فاجِعَهُ

والجارُ أَوصاني بِهِ رَبّي

والجارُ أَوصاني بِهِ رَبّي

As for my friend, I am not one to grieve him,

As for my friend, I will not betray him,

and my Lord has enjoined me to care for my neighbor.”

And my Lord has entrusted me with the neighbor.

وَبِبَطنِ مَكَّةَ لا أَبوحُ بِهِ

وَبِبَطنِ مَكَّةَ لا أَبوحُ بِهِ

قُرشيَّةٌ غَلَبَت عَلى قَلبي

قُرشيَّةٌ غَلَبَت عَلى قَلبي

And in the heart of Mecca—I do not disclose it—

By the valley of Mecca, I will not confess it -

a Qurayshi woman has taken hold of my heart.

A Qurashi woman has conquered my heart.

وَلَو انَّها إِذ مَرَّ مَوكِبُها

وَلَو انَّها إِذ مَرَّ مَوكِبُها

يَومَ الكَديدِ أَطاعَني صَحبي

يَومَ الكَديدِ أَطاعَني صَحبي

And if, when her procession passed,

Had she, when her procession passed

on the day at al-Kadid, my companions had obeyed me,

On the day of Kadid, obeyed me, my companions

قُلنا لَها حُيّيتِ مِن شَجَنٍ

قُلنا لَها حُيّيتِ مِن شَجَنٍ

وَلرَكبِها حُيّيتَ مِن رَكبِ

وَلرَكبِها حُيّيتَ مِن رَكبِ

we would have said to her, “Hail to you, O branch!”

Would have said: Greetings from yearning to her,

and to her caravan, “Hail to you, O caravan!”

And to her procession, greetings from riders.

والشَوقُ أَقتُلُهُ بِرؤيَتِها

والشَوقُ أَقتُلُهُ بِرؤيَتِها

قَتلَ الظَما بِالبارِدِ العَذبِ

قَتلَ الظَما بِالبارِدِ العَذبِ

And I slay longing by seeing her,

I kill my longing by seeing her,

as thirst is slain by cool, sweet water.

As cold sweet water kills thirst.

والناسُ إِن حَلّوا جَميعهُمُ

والناسُ إِن حَلّوا جَميعهُمُ

شِعباً سَلامُ وَأَنت في شِعبِ

شِعباً سَلامُ وَأَنت في شِعبِ

And if all the people settled

If all the people together

in one ravine, Salam, and you in another,

Inhabited one valley - greetings! While you are in a valley,

لَحَلَلتُ شِعبَكِ دونَ شِعبِهم

لَحَلَلتُ شِعبَكِ دونَ شِعبِهم

وَلَكانَ قُربي مِنكُمُ حَسبي

وَلَكانَ قُربي مِنكُمُ حَسبي

I would settle in your ravine rather than theirs,

I would have isolated your valley from theirs

and my nearness to you would suffice me.

And being near you would have sufficed me.

عوجوا كَذا نَذكُر لِغانيَةٍ

عوجوا كَذا نَذكُر لِغانيَةٍ

بَعضَ الحَديثِ مَطيّكُم صَحبي

بَعضَ الحَديثِ مَطيّكُم صَحبي

Turn this way, so we may speak to a lovely woman—

Like this, we mention to a lovely woman

a few words—turn your mounts, my companions.

Some talk - your riding animal has straightened, companions.

وَنَقل لَها فيمَ الصُدودُ وَلَم

وَنَقل لَها فيمَ الصُدودُ وَلَم

نُذنِب بَل أَنتِ بَدأتِ بِالذَنبِ

نُذنِب بَل أَنتِ بَدأتِ بِالذَنبِ

And say to her, “Why this turning away, when we have not

And we conveyed to her: Why the rejection? And why

done wrong? Rather, you were first to do wrong.

Should we sin when you began with sin?

إِن تُقبِلي نُقبِل ونُنزِلُكُم

إِن تُقبِلي نُقبِل ونُنزِلُكُم

مِنّا بِدارِ السَهلِ والرّحبِ

مِنّا بِدارِ السَهلِ والرّحبِ

If you turn toward us, we turn toward you and lodge you

If you accept, we accept and bring you down

among us, in an abode of ease and spaciousness;

From us to the abode of plains and breadth.

أَو تُدبِري تَكدُر مَعيشَتُنا

أَو تُدبِري تَكدُر مَعيشَتُنا

وَتُصَدِّعي مُتلائِمَ الشعبِ

وَتُصَدِّعي مُتلائِمَ الشعبِ

or if you turn away, our life will be clouded,

Or if you turn your back, you embitter our life

and you will reopen the rift that had healed.”

And split those harmonious with the valley.