طَرِبتَ وَأَنتَ مَعنيٌّ كَئيبُ

طَرِبتَ وَأَنتَ مَعنيٌّ كَئيبُ

وَقَد يَشتاقُ ذو الحزنِ الغَريبُ

وَقَد يَشتاقُ ذو الحزنِ الغَريبُ

You were stirred to longing, though afflicted and dejected;

You were stirred to longing, though careworn and sorrowful.

indeed, the sorrowful stranger yearns.

And a sorrowful stranger may well yearn.

وَشاقَكَ بِالموَقَّرِ أَهلُ خاخٍ

وَشاقَكَ بِالموَقَّرِ أَهلُ خاخٍ

فَلا أمَمٌ هُناكَ وَلا قَريبُ

فَلا أمَمٌ هُناكَ وَلا قَريبُ

At al-Muwaqqar, the people of Khākh stirred your longing,

And the people of Khakh stirred your longing at al-Muwaqqar.

yet nothing there is within reach or near.

So there is nothing within easy reach there, nor anything near.

وَكَم لَكَ دونَها مِن عُرضِ أَرضٍ

وَكَم لَكَ دونَها مِن عُرضِ أَرضٍ

كأَنَّ سَرابَها الجاري سَبيبُ

كأَنَّ سَرابَها الجاري سَبيبُ

And how many a broad tract of land lies between you and it,

And how many expanses of land lie between you and it,

as though its coursing mirage were a trailing tress.

As though its flowing mirage were horsehair.

لَعَمريَ إِنَّني بِرَقيمِ قَيسٍ

لَعَمريَ إِنَّني بِرَقيمِ قَيسٍ

وَجارَةِ أَهلِها لأَنا الحَريبُ

وَجارَةِ أَهلِها لأَنا الحَريبُ

By my life, I—because of Raqīm Qays,

By my life, it is because of Raqim of Qays

and the woman neighboring its people—am surely the one bereft.

And the woman neighboring its people that I am truly bereft.