فَلَمّا وَدَّعونا وَاِستَقَلّوا

فَلَمّا وَدَّعونا وَاِستَقَلّوا

عَلى صُهبٍ هَواديهِنَّ قودُ

عَلى صُهبٍ هَواديهِنَّ قودُ

Then, when they bade us farewell and departed

When they bade farewell and rode away

on tawny she-camels with long necks,

On the graceful mounts, my heart gave way.

شَكَوتُ إِلى الغَواني ما أُلاقي

شَكَوتُ إِلى الغَواني ما أُلاقي

وَقُلتُ لَهُنَّ ما يَومي بَعيدُ

وَقُلتُ لَهُنَّ ما يَومي بَعيدُ

I complained to the fair women of my suffering,

To the sand dunes I poured out my grief;

and told them, 'My day is not far off.'

Parting would bring naught but pain and grief.

فَفاضَت عَبرَةٌ أَشفَقتُ مِنها

فَفاضَت عَبرَةٌ أَشفَقتُ مِنها

تَسيلُ كَأَنَّ وابِلَها الفَريدُ

تَسيلُ كَأَنَّ وابِلَها الفَريدُ

Then a tear welled up, to my alarm,

I wept till tears flowed in plenty,

flowing as though its shower were pearls.

Like heavy rains pouring rapidly.

فَقُلنَ بَكَيتَ قُلتُ لَهُنَّ كَلّا

فَقُلنَ بَكَيتَ قُلتُ لَهُنَّ كَلّا

وَقَد يَبكي مِنَ الشَوقِ الجَليدُ

وَقَد يَبكي مِنَ الشَوقِ الجَليدُ

They said, 'You have wept.' I told them, 'No!

"You wept?" they asked. I said, “Nay,

Even the stouthearted may weep from longing;

Even stone can melt from ardour’s sway.”

وَلَكِنّي أَصابَ سَوادَ عَيني

وَلَكِنّي أَصابَ سَوادَ عَيني

عُوَيدُ قَذىً لَهُ طَرَفٌ حَديدُ

عُوَيدُ قَذىً لَهُ طَرَفٌ حَديدُ

but the pupil of my eye was struck

“Then why,” they persisted, “are your eyes so red?”

by a tiny splinter, a mote with a sharp tip.'

I said, “A speck entered that I dread.

فَقُلنَ فَما لِدَمعِهِما سَواءً

فَقُلنَ فَما لِدَمعِهِما سَواءً

أَكِلتا مُقلَتَيكَ أَصابَ عودُ

أَكِلتا مُقلَتَيكَ أَصابَ عودُ

They said, 'Then why do both eyes weep alike?

Its point was steel and caused me pain.

Has a twig struck both your eyes?

That is why both eyes shed rain.”

فَقَبلَ دُموعِ عَينِكَ خَبَّرَتنا

فَقَبلَ دُموعِ عَينِكَ خَبَّرَتنا

بِما جَمجَمتَ زَفرَتُكَ الصَعُودُ

بِما جَمجَمتَ زَفرَتُكَ الصَعُودُ

For before your eye's tears, we had been told

“Your tears,” they deduced, “and that deep sigh

by your heaving sigh what you kept concealed.'

Tell what your heart cannot deny.”