لِقَلبي بِغَورَيَّ البِلادِ لُبانَةٌ

لِقَلبي بِغَورَيَّ البِلادِ لُبانَةٌ

وَإِن كُنتُ مَسدوداً عَلَيَّ المَطالِعُ

وَإِن كُنتُ مَسدوداً عَلَيَّ المَطالِعُ

My heart has a longing in the land’s two lowlands,

My heart has a yearning for the depths of the country,

Though the ways up are barred to me.

Even if the horizons are blocked to me,

لَعَلِّيَ أُعطى وَالأَمانيُّ ضِلَّةٌ

لَعَلِّيَ أُعطى وَالأَمانيُّ ضِلَّةٌ

وَإِنَّ اللَيالي مُعطَياتٌ مَوانِعُ

وَإِنَّ اللَيالي مُعطَياتٌ مَوانِعُ

Perhaps I may be granted—though wishes are delusion,

Perhaps I will be granted my wish, though wishes are misleading,

And the nights indeed give and withhold—

And nights, though preventing, are givers.

مَبيتِيَ في أَثوابِ ظَمياءَ لَيلَةً

مَبيتِيَ في أَثوابِ ظَمياءَ لَيلَةً

بِوادي الغَضا وَالعاذِلونَ هَواجِعُ

بِوادي الغَضا وَالعاذِلونَ هَواجِعُ

A night’s lodging within Ẓamyāʾ’s robes,

I spent a night in the garb of a dark night

In the valley of al-Ghaḍā, while the reproachers sleep.

In the valley of separation, while the blamers blamed,

وَما نُطفَةٌ مَشمولَةٌ بِمَجَمَّةٍ

وَما نُطفَةٌ مَشمولَةٌ بِمَجَمَّةٍ

وَعاها صَفاً مِن طامِنِ الطَودِ فارِعُ

وَعاها صَفاً مِن طامِنِ الطَودِ فارِعُ

And no drop of water, cooled by the north wind in a pool,

Not a teardrop enclosed in an eyelid,

Held by a smooth rock rising high from the mountain’s lower slope,

Which a file of lofty camels protected.

مِنَ البيضِ لَولا بُردُها قُلتُ دَمعَةٌ

مِنَ البيضِ لَولا بُردُها قُلتُ دَمعَةٌ

مُرَنَّقَةٌ ما أَسلَمَتها المَدامِعُ

مُرَنَّقَةٌ ما أَسلَمَتها المَدامِعُ

One of the white rocks—but for the water’s chill, I would call it a tear,

Were it not for its cold, I would say a white teardrop

Poised in the eye, not yet released by the tear ducts—

Imprisoned, which tears did not set free,

بِأَعذَبَ مِمّا نَوَّلَتنيهِ مَوهِناً

بِأَعذَبَ مِمّا نَوَّلَتنيهِ مَوهِناً

وَقَد شيمَ بِالغَورِ النُجومُ الطَوالِعُ

وَقَد شيمَ بِالغَورِ النُجومُ الطَوالِعُ

Is sweeter than what she gave me late at night,

Sweeter than the gifts of the carper who weakened me,

When the rising stars had been sighted in the lowland.

And the stars rose to the horizons.

أَرى بَعدَ وِردِ الماءِ في القَلبِ غُلَّةً

أَرى بَعدَ وِردِ الماءِ في القَلبِ غُلَّةً

إِلَيكَ عَلى أَنّي مِنَ الماءِ ناقِعُ

إِلَيكَ عَلى أَنّي مِنَ الماءِ ناقِعُ

After drinking water, I find a burning thirst within my heart

After drinking water I see darkness in my heart,

For you, though I am quenched with water.

To you, though I am of the water, a rebel.

وَإِنّي لَأَقوى ما أَكونُ طَماعَةً

وَإِنّي لَأَقوى ما أَكونُ طَماعَةً

إِذا كَذَّبَت فيكَ المُنى وَالمَطامِعُ

إِذا كَذَّبَت فيكَ المُنى وَالمَطامِعُ

And I am indeed at my most ardent in longing

And I am strongest when I am most greedy

When wishes and expectations of you prove false.

If hopes and wishes belie you.