قلبٌ كما شاءَ التفرُّقُ موجَعٌ

قلبٌ كما شاءَ التفرُّقُ موجَعٌ

وهوًى يهيَّجُهُ الحمامُ السُّجَّعُ

وهوًى يهيَّجُهُ الحمامُ السُّجَّعُ

A heart made sore, just as separation willed,

A heart, as separation willed, is pained

And a passion stirred by the cooing doves.

And a passion stirred by cooing doves deceived

ومولَّهٍ لَعِبَ الغرامُ بقلبِهِ

ومولَّهٍ لَعِبَ الغرامُ بقلبِهِ

للّهِ صَبٌّ بالصَّبابةِ مولَعُ

للّهِ صَبٌّ بالصَّبابةِ مولَعُ

And many a bewildered lover whose heart passion has toyed with—

A lover whose heart was played with by love

By God, a lovesick man enamored of yearning!

To God a youth enamored with folly cleaved

متلفَّتاً نحوَ الديارِ وهكذا

متلفَّتاً نحوَ الديارِ وهكذا

داءُ الغرامِ إذا تقادمَ يصنعُ

داءُ الغرامِ إذا تقادمَ يصنعُ

Looking back toward the dwellings; this is what

Looking back to home, such is the way of love

The sickness of passion does when it has long endured.

When it grows old, it acts as it’s bereaved

ولكم وقفتُ على الربوعِ مسائلاً

ولكم وقفتُ على الربوعِ مسائلاً

ومِنَ الضلالةِ أن تُجيبَ الأربُعُ

ومِنَ الضلالةِ أن تُجيبَ الأربُعُ

And how often I stood at the camps, questioning,

How often I stood at the meadows questioning

Though it is folly to expect the camps to answer.

It’s misguidance if the fourth would respond to the call

يا منزلاً بينَ العُذَيبِ ولَعْلَعٍ

يا منزلاً بينَ العُذَيبِ ولَعْلَعٍ

أشتاقُهُ سُقيَ العُذَيبُ ولَعْلَعُ

أشتاقُهُ سُقيَ العُذَيبُ ولَعْلَعُ

O dwelling between al-ʿUdhayb and Laʿlaʿ,

Oh home between Al-Udhayb and La’la’

I long for it—may al-ʿUdhayb and Laʿlaʿ be watered!

I long for it, Al-Udhayb and La’la’ were quenched

أهوى ربوعكَ والزمانُ يعوقُني

أهوى ربوعكَ والزمانُ يعوقُني

عنها فتسفحُ للحنينِ الأدمُعُ

عنها فتسفحُ للحنينِ الأدمُعُ

I love your camps, but time keeps me

I love your meadows though time impedes me

From them, and tears pour forth from longing.

From them, so tears of yearning pour forth unleashed

ويَزيدُني شغفاً إذا جَنَّ الدُّجى

ويَزيدُني شغفاً إذا جَنَّ الدُّجى

برقٌ على أَثَلاثِ نجدٍ يلمِعُ

برقٌ على أَثَلاثِ نجدٍ يلمِعُ

And when darkness descends, my passion is heightened

And longing surges when dusk settles in

By lightning flashing over Athlāth in Najd.

A lightning over Najd’s ridges unleashed

تحكي التهابَ ضِرامِه في مزنهِ

تحكي التهابَ ضِرامِه في مزنهِ

نارُ اشتياقي والهوادجُ تُرفَعُ

نارُ اشتياقي والهوادجُ تُرفَعُ

The blaze of its fire within its rainclouds is mirrored

It tells of his camel’s desire in travel

By the fire of my longing as the howdahs are raised.

My fiery yearning, with hawâdij raised

وخفوقَهُ خفقانُ قلبي كلَّما

وخفوقَهُ خفقانُ قلبي كلَّما

أمسى مِنَ التفريقِ وهو مُرَوَّعُ

أمسى مِنَ التفريقِ وهو مُرَوَّعُ

And my heart's pounding mirrors its flicker whenever

And its heartbeat, my own heart’s flutter

Evening finds it terrified by separation.

Whenever saddened by our parting, distressed

فالماءُ ما قد فَيَّضَتْهُ مدامعي

فالماءُ ما قد فَيَّضَتْهُ مدامعي

والنارُ ما استملتْ عليه الأضلُعُ

والنارُ ما استملتْ عليه الأضلُعُ

So the water is what my tearful eyes have poured forth,

So water is what my tears have poured forth

And the fire is what my ribs enclose.

And fire is what has filled up my ribs’ crest

وخريدةٍ أبكي ويبسِمُ ثغرُها

وخريدةٍ أبكي ويبسِمُ ثغرُها

فتغارُ مِلْخَجلِ البروقُ اللمَّعُ

فتغارُ مِلْخَجلِ البروقُ اللمَّعُ

And many a chaste maiden—I weep while her mouth smiles,

A little gazelle I cry over, her smile blossoms

So the gleaming lightning flashes grow jealous with shame.

So shyly the sparkling lightnings ceased

وتَفُلُّ مِن لونِ الظلامِ غدائراً

وتَفُلُّ مِن لونِ الظلامِ غدائراً

سُفعاً وخيرُ حُلَى الشًّعورِ الأسفَعُ

سُفعاً وخيرُ حُلَى الشًّعورِ الأسفَعُ

And she parts tresses of the color of darkness,

Her black tresses cascade down her figure

Dusky—for the finest adornment of hair is its dark hue.

Smooth and the best adornment for hair released

أودعتُها قلبي غداةَ فراقِها

أودعتُها قلبي غداةَ فراقِها

لمّا استقلَّ بها الفريقُ وودعوا

لمّا استقلَّ بها الفريقُ وودعوا

I entrusted her with my heart on the morning of her departure,

I entrusted her to my heart the morrow we parted

When the company set off with her and bade farewell.

When separation took her and bid farewell they did

فلكم على آثارِها مِن مهجةٍ

فلكم على آثارِها مِن مهجةٍ

حرَّى وعينٍ للتفرُّقِ تَدمَعُ

حرَّى وعينٍ للتفرُّقِ تَدمَعُ

How many a heart in her wake

Oh how much anguish after her trace remains

Is burning, and how many an eye weeps at parting!

Eyes shedding tears over our divide

ولكم بكيتُ على المرابعِ وحشةً

ولكم بكيتُ على المرابعِ وحشةً

لمّا خلا مُصطافُها والمَرْبَعُ

لمّا خلا مُصطافُها والمَرْبَعُ

And how often I wept over the camps in loneliness,

And how much I cried in desolate dwellings

When her summer quarters and spring abode stood empty!

When their dweller left and the dwellings

ومتيَّمٍ أضحى وقد بَعُدَ المدى

ومتيَّمٍ أضحى وقد بَعُدَ المدى

يبكي الطلولَ بدِيمةٍ لا تُقلِعُ

يبكي الطلولَ بدِيمةٍ لا تُقلِعُ

And many a love-enslaved man, now that the distance has stretched,

A bewildered lover, after distance grew far

Weeps over the ruins with a steady rain that never ceases.

Crying over meadows that do not cease

يرمي الهضابَ بطرفهِ فكأنَّما

يرمي الهضابَ بطرفهِ فكأنَّما

في كلَّ هَضْبٍ للأحبَّةِ مَطلَعُ

في كلَّ هَضْبٍ للأحبَّةِ مَطلَعُ

He casts his gaze at the hills, as though

Casting his gaze unto the hills, as though

On every hill there were a place for loved ones to appear.

In every hill arose his loved one’s place

ويبيتُ مسلوبَ الفؤادِ مولّهاً

ويبيتُ مسلوبَ الفؤادِ مولّهاً

مِمّا عراهُ مسهَّداً لا يَهجعُ

مِمّا عراهُ مسهَّداً لا يَهجعُ

And he spends the night robbed of his heart, bewildered

Spending the night bereft of heart, blaming

By what has befallen him, sleepless, never slumbering.

What stripped him, sleepless, cannot find peace

هجرَ السكونَ إلى المضاجعِ بعدما

هجرَ السكونَ إلى المضاجعِ بعدما

باتتْ كأنَّ بها أراقمَ تلسعُ

باتتْ كأنَّ بها أراقمَ تلسعُ

He forsook resting in beds after

Forsaking tranquility in beds, after

They came to seem to hold mottled serpents that sting.

They became as if scorpions unleashed their sting

يستافُ أرواحَ الشَّمالِ إذا شَرَتْ

يستافُ أرواحَ الشَّمالِ إذا شَرَتْ

نشوَى الهبوبِ بنشرِها يتضوَّعُ

نشوَى الهبوبِ بنشرِها يتضوَّعُ

He inhales the north wind's breezes when it rises,

Inhaling the souls of north winds, when they blow

Drunken in its gusts; he is steeped in its fragrance.

The fervor of gusts, with dispersion increased

مِن بعدِما قد كنتُ أعهدُ قلبَه

مِن بعدِما قد كنتُ أعهدُ قلبَه

بالجِزعِ ثَبْتاً للنوى لا يَجْزَعُ

بالجِزعِ ثَبْتاً للنوى لا يَجْزَعُ

After I had once known his heart

After my heart had grown accustomed to

At the valley bend, steadfast against parting, never distraught.

Steadfast sorrow, unwavering and not weak

أتراهُ يقنعُ بالخيالِ وقد نأتْ

أتراهُ يقنعُ بالخيالِ وقد نأتْ

عنه وكانَ بوصلِها لا يقنعُ

عنه وكانَ بوصلِها لا يقنعُ

Do you think he is content with a phantom, now she has gone

Does it satisfy itself with phantasm, when she

Far from him, though even union with her once failed to satisfy him?

Departed, while union with her did not suffice?

قد كانَ ذلكَ والشبابُ إلى الهوى

قد كانَ ذلكَ والشبابُ إلى الهوى

والغانياتِ محبَّبٌ ومشفَّعُ

والغانياتِ محبَّبٌ ومشفَّعُ

That was when youth, to passion

That was so, while youth unto passion cleaved

And beautiful women, was dear and a welcome intercessor.

Enamored with singing girls, interceded

واليومَ غيَّرَهُ المشيبُ بجورِه

واليومَ غيَّرَهُ المشيبُ بجورِه

فغدا بطيفِ خيالِها لا يطمعُ

فغدا بطيفِ خيالِها لا يطمعُ

And today gray hair has changed him with its tyranny,

Today gray hair has changed it with its tyranny

So he no longer hopes even for her phantom in a dream.

So it no longer hopes for her phantom or dreams

أحبابَنا بنتمْ فوجدي دائمٌ

أحبابَنا بنتمْ فوجدي دائمٌ

والصبرُ فانٍ والحنينُ مُرَجَّعُ

والصبرُ فانٍ والحنينُ مُرَجَّعُ

Our loved ones, you have departed; my anguish endures,

We blamed our loved ones, and lasting blame remained

And patience is spent, while longing echoes again and again.

Patience failed, yearning kept demanding appeased

أترى تعودُ الدارُ تجمعُ شملَنا

أترى تعودُ الدارُ تجمعُ شملَنا

بكمُ وتختلسُ التحيَّةَ اِصْبَعُ

بكمُ وتختلسُ التحيَّةَ اِصْبَعُ

Will the dwelling, I wonder, again gather us together

Will our home return to reunite us, I wonder

With you, and a finger steal a furtive greeting?

With a smile stolen by a finger on lips traced?

وأرى التحيةَ بالبنانِ واِنْ تكنْ

وأرى التحيةَ بالبنانِ واِنْ تكنْ

دِينَ القناعةِ أنَّها لا تَنفعُ

دِينَ القناعةِ أنَّها لا تَنفعُ

And I deem a greeting with the fingertips, even if it is

I see the smile with front teeth, even if

The way of contentment, to be of no avail.

Contentment accepts it does not benefit

أم للعليلِ وقد تفاقمَ داؤه

أم للعليلِ وقد تفاقمَ داؤه

بكمُ شِفاءٌ أو غليلٌ يُنقَعُ

بكمُ شِفاءٌ أو غليلٌ يُنقَعُ

Or is there, for the ailing man whose disease has worsened,

Or for one ill, his malady aggravated,

Healing through you, or a burning thirst that can be quenched?

Through your smile, is there cure or illness ceased?

هيهاتَ لمّا يَبْقَ إلا عبرةٌ

هيهاتَ لمّا يَبْقَ إلا عبرةٌ

تسقي منازلكمْ وسِنٌ تُقرَعُ

تسقي منازلكمْ وسِنٌ تُقرَعُ

Far from it! Nothing is left but a tear

Alas, naught remains but tears

Watering your dwellings, and a tooth ground in regret.

Watering your dwellings, and years that knock

ونجائبٌ تلقى الثرى بمناسمٍ

ونجائبٌ تلقى الثرى بمناسمٍ

أدمى الحصى أخفافَها واليَرْمَعُ

أدمى الحصى أخفافَها واليَرْمَعُ

And noble riding camels tread the earth upon their toes;

And ululations meet the soil in vigils

Gravel and white pebbles have bloodied their footpads.

Making the pebbles darker, and head-wraps released

ذهبَ الذميلُ بِنَيَّها وتماسكتْ

ذهبَ الذميلُ بِنَيَّها وتماسكتْ

كرماً فجالتْ للهُزالِ الأنسُعُ

كرماً فجالتْ للهُزالِ الأنسُعُ

The swift trot consumed their fat, yet they held firm

The beautiful one went, and it disintegrated

Nobly; their girth-straps swung loose from emaciation.

Though it clung together strongly, now it is torn

وطما السرابُ وغرَّها رقراقُه

وطما السرابُ وغرَّها رقراقُه

فتساقطتْ فيه تَعُبُّ وتكرعُ

فتساقطتْ فيه تَعُبُّ وتكرعُ

And the mirage swelled, and its shimmer deceived them,

Mirage deceived it, with its shuddering

So they tumbled into it, gulping and drinking.

So it fell in it, exhausted and stumbling weak

وسرتْ لطيَّتِها ظِماءً مثلما

وسرتْ لطيَّتِها ظِماءً مثلما

وَرَدَتْهُ تهديها الطريقُ المَهْيَعُ

وَرَدَتْهُ تهديها الطريقُ المَهْيَعُ

And they traveled by night toward their goal, as thirsty as when

It walked thirstily, just as it had come to it

They came to it for water, guided by the broad, open road.

The path led it while no water could make it speak

ماذا الذي نالتْهُ لمّا غرَّها

ماذا الذي نالتْهُ لمّا غرَّها

منه لقد عَدِمَ الرواءَ اليلْمَعُ

منه لقد عَدِمَ الرواءَ اليلْمَعُ

What did they gain, when it had deceived them,

What did it obtain when mirage deceived it?

From it? Indeed, the glittering mirage held no thirst-quenching water.

There, the still water it hoped for was deceased

متسابقاتٌ في الفجاجِ كأنمَّا

متسابقاتٌ في الفجاجِ كأنمَّا

طَفِقَتْ تُسابِقُها الرياحُ الأربَعُ

طَفِقَتْ تُسابِقُها الرياحُ الأربَعُ

Racing each other through the passes, as though

Racing in the rough desert, as if

The four winds had begun to race against them.

The four winds compete in racing with it vying

فقرُبنَ بل قرَّبنَ داراً لم تزلْ

فقرُبنَ بل قرَّبنَ داراً لم تزلْ

مِن دونِ أهليها القفارُ البلقعُ

مِن دونِ أهليها القفارُ البلقعُ

So they drew near—rather, brought near—a dwelling that always had

So they brought themselves near, nay made near

Barren, empty wastes between us and its people.

A home whose dwellers were not present, distanced

وأتينَ أحباباً حَفِظْتُ على النوى

وأتينَ أحباباً حَفِظْتُ على النوى

لهمُ العهودَ وهمْ لعهدي ضيَّعوا

لهمُ العهودَ وهمْ لعهدي ضيَّعوا

And they reached loved ones; despite distance I had kept

And came upon loved ones I kept true to

My pledges to them, while they neglected my covenant.

My pledges, while theirs to mine were breached

اِنْ أعوزَ الوِردُ الركائبُ بعدَما

اِنْ أعوزَ الوِردُ الركائبُ بعدَما

بانوا فها دمعي لهنَّ المشرعُ

بانوا فها دمعي لهنَّ المشرعُ

If water fails the mounts after

If roses missed their steeds, after they

The loved ones have gone, here are my tears: a watering place for the mounts.

Were gone, here my tears for them are released