هَل ناشِدٌ لي بِعَقيقِ الحِمى

هَل ناشِدٌ لي بِعَقيقِ الحِمى

غُزَيّلِاً مَرَّ عَلى الرَكبِ

غُزَيّلِاً مَرَّ عَلى الرَكبِ

Is there someone to seek for me at ʿAqīq al-Ḥimā

Is there a companion who calls to me with the perfume of love,

a little gazelle that passed by the caravan?

A gazelle who passed by the caravan,

أَفلَتَ مِن قانِصِهِ غِرَّةً

أَفلَتَ مِن قانِصِهِ غِرَّةً

وَعادَ بِالقَلبِ إِلى السِربِ

وَعادَ بِالقَلبِ إِلى السِربِ

He escaped his hunter in an unguarded moment,

Escaped from the hunter suddenly,

and returned to the herd with my heart.

And returned with a heart to the herd?

وَأَظمَأَ القَلبَ إِلى مالِكٍ

وَأَظمَأَ القَلبَ إِلى مالِكٍ

لايُحسِنُ العَدلَ عَلى القَلبِ

لايُحسِنُ العَدلَ عَلى القَلبِ

He made my heart thirst for a master

It made the heart thirsty for its owner

who does not know how to treat my heart justly.

Who does not know justice for the heart.

يَعجَبُ مِن عُجبي بِهِ في الهَوى

يَعجَبُ مِن عُجبي بِهِ في الهَوى

وا عَجَبي مِنهُ وَمِن عُجبي

وا عَجَبي مِنهُ وَمِن عُجبي

He marvels at my admiration for him in love;

He is amazed at my wonder for him in love,

oh, how I marvel at him—and at my own admiration!

And my wonder for him and for my wonder!

أَقرُبُ بِالوُدِّ وَيَنأى بِهِ

أَقرُبُ بِالوُدِّ وَيَنأى بِهِ

وَيلي عَلى بُعدِكَ مِن قُربِ

وَيلي عَلى بُعدِكَ مِن قُربِ

I draw near with affection, while he draws away with it;

Closest in affection, yet remote,

woe to me for your distance despite your nearness!

Woe to me for your distance from nearness.

مُنَعَّمٌ يَعطِفُ مِنهُ الصِبا

مُنَعَّمٌ يَعطِفُ مِنهُ الصِبا

لِعبَ الصَبا بِالغُصُنِ الرَطبِ

لِعبَ الصَبا بِالغُصُنِ الرَطبِ

A pampered one, whom youth sways

Luxurious, bending branches with him,

as the east breeze plays with a supple bough.

The morning breeze playing with the moist branch.

بَلادَةُ النَعمَةِ في طَبعِهِ

بَلادَةُ النَعمَةِ في طَبعِهِ

وَرُبَّما ناقَشَ في الحُبِّ

وَرُبَّما ناقَشَ في الحُبِّ

The dullness of luxury is in his nature,

Dullness of luxury in his nature,

yet sometimes he is exacting in love.

And sometimes he argued about love.

أَما اِتَّقى اللَهَ عَلى ضُعفِهِ

أَما اِتَّقى اللَهَ عَلى ضُعفِهِ

مُعَذَّبُ القَلبِ بِلا ذَنبِ

مُعَذَّبُ القَلبِ بِلا ذَنبِ

Does he not fear God, despite his weakness—

Does he not fear Allah for his weakness,

the one tormented at heart without a fault?

My heart tortured without sin?

يا ماطِلاً لي بِدُيونِ الهَوى

يا ماطِلاً لي بِدُيونِ الهَوى

مَن دَلَّ عَينَيكَ عَلى قَلبي

مَن دَلَّ عَينَيكَ عَلى قَلبي

O you who defer paying me love's debts,

Oh procrastinator of my love debts,

who guided your eyes to my heart?

Who has misled your eyes to my heart?