خَافَتْ مِنَ الرُّقَباءِ يَوْمَ وِدَاعِي

خَافَتْ مِنَ الرُّقَباءِ يَوْمَ وِدَاعِي

لَمَّا دَعَا بِنَوَى الأَحِبَّةِ دَاعِ

لَمَّا دَعَا بِنَوَى الأَحِبَّةِ دَاعِ

She feared the watchers on the day of my farewell,

She was afraid of the spies when I bid her farewell,

When a caller called for the loved ones' departure.

When my desire called to bid the beloveds farewell.

قَامَتْ تُودِّعُنِي بِقَلْبٍ آمنٍ

قَامَتْ تُودِّعُنِي بِقَلْبٍ آمنٍ

مِمَّا أَجُنُّ وَنَاظِرٍ مُرْتاعِ

مِمَّا أَجُنُّ وَنَاظِرٍ مُرْتاعِ

She rose to bid me farewell, with a heart untroubled

She stood to bid me farewell with a confident heart,

By what I conceal, and a frightened gaze.

Safe from my suffering and a startled onlooker.

لِلَّه رَكْبٌ لَيْسَ عَهْدُ وِدَادِهمْ

لِلَّه رَكْبٌ لَيْسَ عَهْدُ وِدَادِهمْ

عِنْدَ المُحِبِّ وَإنْ نأَى بِمُضَاعِ

عِنْدَ المُحِبِّ وَإنْ نأَى بِمُضَاعِ

How wondrous a caravan, whose pledge of love is not

A group whose friendship cannot be relied upon,

Forsaken by the lover, even when far away.

To a lover, even if they are brought near.

مَنَحُوا النَّواظِرَ بَهْجَةً وَملاحَةً

مَنَحُوا النَّواظِرَ بَهْجَةً وَملاحَةً

وَجَنَتْ حُداتُهُم عَلى الأَسْماعِ

وَجَنَتْ حُداتُهُم عَلى الأَسْماعِ

They bestowed delight and beauty upon the eyes,

They made the gazes happy and beautiful,

And their camel-drivers did the ears harm.

And their neighbors eavesdropped on the conversation.

بَانُوا فَغُصْنُ البانِ فَوْقَ هَوادِجٍ

بَانُوا فَغُصْنُ البانِ فَوْقَ هَوادِجٍ

وَسَروْا بِبَدْرِ التَّمِّ تَحْتَ قِنَاعِ

وَسَروْا بِبَدْرِ التَّمِّ تَحْتَ قِنَاعِ

They departed, a bān-tree bough above the howdahs,

They appeared, so the appearer was above the valleys,

And traveled by night with the full moon beneath a veil.

And they walked with a full moon under a veil.

كَمْ كَادَ يَقْضِي عَاشِقٌ لِفُرَاقِهِمْ

كَمْ كَادَ يَقْضِي عَاشِقٌ لِفُرَاقِهِمْ

لَوْلَا الرَّجَا وَتَعَلُّقِ الأَطْمَاعِ

لَوْلَا الرَّجَا وَتَعَلُّقِ الأَطْمَاعِ

Many a lover nearly perished at parting from them,

How close a lover came to dying from their separation,

Were it not for hope and clinging expectations.

If not for hope and clinging to ambitions.

أَعذُولُ مِنْ عَلق الهَوَى بِي عَادةٌ

أَعذُولُ مِنْ عَلق الهَوَى بِي عَادةٌ

فَلَقَدْ أُمِرْتُ بِأَمْرِ غَيْرِ مُطَاعِ

فَلَقَدْ أُمِرْتُ بِأَمْرِ غَيْرِ مُطَاعِ

O reproacher, habit is part of love's hold on me;

I am accustomed to being detached from the bonds of love,

For I was given an order that will not be obeyed.

For I was commanded with an order that cannot be disobeyed.

أَوَ مَا كَفَاهُ نِزَاعُهُ مِمَّا بِهِ

أَوَ مَا كَفَاهُ نِزَاعُهُ مِمَّا بِهِ

فَأَتَيْتَهُ مِنْ عَذْلِهِ بِنَزَاعِ

فَأَتَيْتَهُ مِنْ عَذْلِهِ بِنَزَاعِ

And was his struggle with what ails him not enough,

Or did not his dispute over what you came to him with,

That you brought him strife by reproaching him?

From his detachment, suffice with dispute?