تَحَمَّلَ آلُ سُعدى لِلفِراقِ

تَحَمَّلَ آلُ سُعدى لِلفِراقِ

وَقَد حارَت دُموعٌ في المَآقي

وَقَد حارَت دُموعٌ في المَآقي

Su'da's household set out for parting,

The family of Sauda endured separation

and tears had pooled in the corners of the eyes.

While tears flowed in streams

وَما سُعِدَت بِسُعدى النَفسِ حَتّى

وَما سُعِدَت بِسُعدى النَفسِ حَتّى

شَجاها البَينُ فيها بِاِحتِراقِ

شَجاها البَينُ فيها بِاِحتِراقِ

And scarcely had my soul found joy in Su'da before

And my soul knew no happiness with Sauda

parting filled it with burning grief for her.

Until separation's flame burned within

وَلَمّا غَرَّدَ الحادونَ حادَت

وَلَمّا غَرَّدَ الحادونَ حادَت

ظِباءُ الرَقمَتَينِ عَنِ التَلاقي

ظِباءُ الرَقمَتَينِ عَنِ التَلاقي

And when the camel-drivers sang, they turned away—

When the lovers cooed, the gazelles

the gazelles of al-Raqmatayn—from meeting.

Of the sand dunes shied from union

فَما رَقَأَت دُموعي إِذ مَراها

فَما رَقَأَت دُموعي إِذ مَراها

تَرَقّى مُهجَتي عِندَ التَراقي

تَرَقّى مُهجَتي عِندَ التَراقي

So my tears did not cease, for they were drawn forth

My tears did not cease when parting

by my soul's rising to my collarbones.

Made my innermost being ache

وَقالَ عَواذِلي رِفقاً وَمَن لي

وَقالَ عَواذِلي رِفقاً وَمَن لي

بِرِفقٍ عِندَ تَفريقِ الرِفاقِ

بِرِفقٍ عِندَ تَفريقِ الرِفاقِ

And my reproachers said, 'Gently!' Yet who can grant me

And my dear friends gently advised me - but who

gentleness when companions are parted?

Can be gentle when companions part?

أَأَسطيعُ العَزاءَ وَقَد تَراءَت

أَأَسطيعُ العَزاءَ وَقَد تَراءَت

عُيونُ العَينِ تُؤذِنُ بِالفِراقِ

عُيونُ العَينِ تُؤذِنُ بِالفِراقِ

Can I find consolation, when there came into view

Can I find solace when the eyes

the eyes of the wide-eyed women, announcing parting?

Of the beholder hint of leave-taking?

وَلَوَّينَ البَنانَ غَداةَ بَينٍ

وَلَوَّينَ البَنانَ غَداةَ بَينٍ

بِتَسليمٍ وَهُنَّ عَلى اِنطِلاقِ

بِتَسليمٍ وَهُنَّ عَلى اِنطِلاقِ

And they curled their fingers on the morning of parting,

The young ladies turned away at dawn

in farewell, as they were setting out.

In acquiescence, bent with departing

هُنالِكَ تَتلُفُ المُهَجاتُ ضُرّاً

هُنالِكَ تَتلُفُ المُهَجاتُ ضُرّاً

لِما فيهِنَّ مِن حُرَقٍ بُواقِ

لِما فيهِنَّ مِن حُرَقٍ بُواقِ

There souls perish in anguish,

There the hearts are consumed with sadness

from the burning pangs that linger within them.

For the burning they undergo

أَما أَبصَرتَهُنَّ شُموسَ دَجنٍ

أَما أَبصَرتَهُنَّ شُموسَ دَجنٍ

عَلى قُضُبٍ مُهَفهَفَةٍ دِقاقِ

عَلى قُضُبٍ مُهَفهَفَةٍ دِقاقِ

Have you not seen them as suns amid gloom,

Do you not see them as the suns of night

upon slender, delicate branches?

On slender, swaying branches?

وَأَبدَينَ الخُدودُ كَرَوضِ وَردٍ

وَأَبدَينَ الخُدودُ كَرَوضِ وَردٍ

وَماءُ الحُسنِ في أُدُمٍ رِقاقِ

وَماءُ الحُسنِ في أُدُمٍ رِقاقِ

And they revealed their cheeks, like a garden of roses,

Their cheeks revealed gardens of roses

with beauty's moisture in delicate skin.

And the water of beauty in delicate skin

وَما إِن زالَ مَكتوماً هَواهُم

وَما إِن زالَ مَكتوماً هَواهُم

وَعِندَ البَينِ بِحتُ بِما أُلاقي

وَعِندَ البَينِ بِحتُ بِما أُلاقي

And my love for them had remained concealed,

Nor did their passion remain hidden

and at parting I spoke openly of what I suffered.

When at parting their affliction was exposed