عارِضا بي رَكبَ الحِجازِ أُسائِل

عارِضا بي رَكبَ الحِجازِ أُسائِل

هُ مَتى عَهدُهُ بِسُكّانِ سَلعِ

هُ مَتى عَهدُهُ بِسُكّانِ سَلعِ

You two, bring me alongside the caravan of the Hijaz, that I may ask

I met some riders travelling to Hejaz, asking:

it when it last met the dwellers of Salʿ.

When did you last see the folk of Sal‘?

وَاِستَمِلّا حَديثَ مَن سَكَنَ الخَي

وَاِستَمِلّا حَديثَ مَن سَكَنَ الخَي

فَ وَلا تَكتُباهُ إِلّا بِدَمعي

فَ وَلا تَكتُباهُ إِلّا بِدَمعي

And ask to hear the tale of those who dwelt in al-Khay-

Take in full the words of those who lived in Khaibar,

f; and write it only with my tears.

Writing them down only with my tears.

فاتَني أَن أَرى الدِيارَ بِطَرفي

فاتَني أَن أَرى الدِيارَ بِطَرفي

فَلَعَلّي أَرى الدِيارَ بِسَمعي

فَلَعَلّي أَرى الدِيارَ بِسَمعي

I missed the chance to see the dwellings with my eyes;

I missed seeing those lands with my own eyes,

so perhaps I may see the dwellings with my hearing.

Perhaps I may see those lands in my thoughts.

يا غَزالاً بَينَ النَقا وَالمُصَلّى

يا غَزالاً بَينَ النَقا وَالمُصَلّى

لَيسَ تَبقى عَلى نِبالِكَ دِرعي

لَيسَ تَبقى عَلى نِبالِكَ دِرعي

O gazelle between al-Naqā and al-Muṣallā,

O gazelle, between al-Naqa‘ and al-Musalla,

my armor cannot withstand your arrows.

No coat of mail remains for your arrows.

كُلَّما سُلَّ مِن فُؤادِيَ سَهمٌ

كُلَّما سُلَّ مِن فُؤادِيَ سَهمٌ

عادَ سَهمٌ لَكُم مَضيضَ الوَقعِ

عادَ سَهمٌ لَكُم مَضيضَ الوَقعِ

Whenever an arrow is drawn from my heart,

Each time an arrow was loosed from my heart,

an arrow of yours returns, painful in its impact.

An arrow returned to you, painful in impact.

وَتَحَرَّجتَ يَومَ رُحتَ حَراماً

وَتَحَرَّجتَ يَومَ رُحتَ حَراماً

مِن عَطائي فَمَن أَباحَكَ مَنعي

مِن عَطائي فَمَن أَباحَكَ مَنعي

And you felt scruples, the day you went in pilgrim consecration,

You felt embarrassment the day you wrongly left,

about giving to me; who, then, made denying me lawful?

From my gifts – who permitted you to forbid them?

مَن مُعيدٌ أَيّامَ سَلعٍ عَلى ما

مَن مُعيدٌ أَيّامَ سَلعٍ عَلى ما

كانَ مِنها وَأَينَ أَيّامُ سَلعِ

كانَ مِنها وَأَينَ أَيّامُ سَلعِ

Who will bring back the days of Salʿ, just as

Who will restore the days of Sal‘ as they were

they were? And where are the days of Salʿ?

And where are the days of Sal‘ now?

طالِبٌ بِالعِراقِ يَنشُدُ هَيها

طالِبٌ بِالعِراقِ يَنشُدُ هَيها

تَ زَماناً أَضَلَّهُ بِالجِزعِ

تَ زَماناً أَضَلَّهُ بِالجِزعِ

A seeker in Iraq searches—how far

A seeker in Iraq chants, ‘Alas for the days

away!—for a time he lost at al-Jizʿ.

When they were misled by panic long ago!’