إِذا الشَّهرُ كانَ لَنا مَوعِداً

إِذا الشَّهرُ كانَ لَنا مَوعِداً

نُثابُ إِلى القابِلِ المُستَهِل

نُثابُ إِلى القابِلِ المُستَهِل

If the month is set as our appointed time,

When the month comes as our tryst

we are put off until the next month begins.

We return to the waning crescent

إِلى ابنِ الخَليفَةِ فاعمِد لَهُ

إِلى ابنِ الخَليفَةِ فاعمِد لَهُ

وأَرخِ المَطيةَ حَتّى تَكِل

وأَرخِ المَطيةَ حَتّى تَكِل

To the caliph’s son—make your way to him,

To the Caliph's son go straight

and give the mount its head until it tires.

And let loose the steed till it tires

وَتَيهٍ تَشابَه صُعدانُهُ

وَتَيهٍ تَشابَه صُعدانُهُ

وَيَفنى بِهِ الماءُ إِلا السَّمل

وَيَفنى بِهِ الماءُ إِلا السَّمل

And a trackless waste whose expanses look alike,

Lost are the ups and downs of its hills

and where water runs out, save for a scant residue,

And all but the bare rocks wear away

بِميثٍ بَثاءٍ نَصيفيَّةٍ

بِميثٍ بَثاءٍ نَصيفيَّةٍ

دَميثٍ بِها الرِّمثُ والحَيَّهَل

دَميثٍ بِها الرِّمثُ والحَيَّهَل

amid soft, loose-soiled tracts, naṣīfiyyah [meaning uncertain],

In the still air of summer

smooth ground where ramth and ḥayyahal grow.

Where the desert-brush abounds and wild goats roam