صَبا قَلبي إِلى زَمَنِ التَصابي

صَبا قَلبي إِلى زَمَنِ التَصابي

وَأَبكاني المَشيبُ عَلى الشَبابِ

وَأَبكاني المَشيبُ عَلى الشَبابِ

My heart yearned for the days of youthful dalliance,

My heart yearns for the time of youth

And gray hair made me weep for youth.

And gray hair makes me weep for my youth

وَفي قَلبي شِهابُ أَسىً وَوَجدٍ

وَفي قَلبي شِهابُ أَسىً وَوَجدٍ

زَكيٌّ مِن فَتاةِ بَني شِهابِ

زَكيٌّ مِن فَتاةِ بَني شِهابِ

And in my heart is a flame of sorrow and longing,

In my heart there is a flaming agony and passion

Blazing because of a maiden of Banu Shihab.

Pure, from a maiden of the Bani Shihab tribe

تُعَذِّبُني وَتَعلَمُ أَنَّ قَلبي

تُعَذِّبُني وَتَعلَمُ أَنَّ قَلبي

يَهيمُ إِلى مَراشِفِها العِذابِ

يَهيمُ إِلى مَراشِفِها العِذابِ

She torments me, knowing that my heart

She tortures me and knows that my heart

Is mad with longing for her sweet lips.

Yearns desperately for her torment

سَقَت دِيَمُ الرَبابِ إِذا اِستَهَلَّت

سَقَت دِيَمُ الرَبابِ إِذا اِستَهَلَّت

دِياراً مِن سُلَيمى وَالرَبابِ

دِياراً مِن سُلَيمى وَالرَبابِ

May the clouds’ steady rains, when they pour forth, water

The rainclouds watered the land

The dwellings of Sulayma and al-Rabab.

When they arrived from Suleim and Al-Rabab

وَلازالَت جَنوبُ الرِيحِ تُهدي

وَلازالَت جَنوبُ الرِيحِ تُهدي

سَلاماً نَحوَ حَيِّ بَني جَنابِ

سَلاماً نَحوَ حَيِّ بَني جَنابِ

And may the south wind never cease to carry

And the southern winds still convey

Greetings toward the encampment of Banu Janab.

Greetings to the quarter of Bani Janab

أَعاتِبَتي عَلى كَسبِ المَعالي

أَعاتِبَتي عَلى كَسبِ المَعالي

رُوَيدَكِ لا أَبالَكِ مِن عِتابي

رُوَيدَكِ لا أَبالَكِ مِن عِتابي

O you who reproach me for winning lofty honors,

You reproach me for seeking glory

Be gentle in reproaching me—may you have no father!

Slow down, do not blame me

فَإِنّي قَد كَسَبتُ جَميلَ ذِكرٍ

فَإِنّي قَد كَسَبتُ جَميلَ ذِكرٍ

وَهَبتُ لَهُ مِنَ المالِ اِكتِسابي

وَهَبتُ لَهُ مِنَ المالِ اِكتِسابي

For I have earned a fine name,

For I have earned good repute

For which I gave away the wealth I earned.

And devoted my wealth to gain it

وَعَلَّمَني المُرُوَّةَ مِن نَداهُ

وَعَلَّمَني المُرُوَّةَ مِن نَداهُ

أَبو العُلوانِ تاجُ بَني كِلابِ

أَبو العُلوانِ تاجُ بَني كِلابِ

And through his bounty, he taught me noble conduct—

Abu Al-Ulwan, crown of Bani Kilab

Abu al-Ulwan, the crown of Banu Kilab.

Taught me chivalry from his support

كَريمٌ ما نَظَرتُ إِلَيهِ إِلّا

كَريمٌ ما نَظَرتُ إِلَيهِ إِلّا

نَظَرتُ إِلى الغِنى مِن كُلِّ بابِ

نَظَرتُ إِلى الغِنى مِن كُلِّ بابِ

A generous man: I never looked at him without

Noble one, whenever I looked at him

Seeing wealth from every door.

I saw riches from every side

أَمَولايَ الَّذي يُغني وَأُثني

أَمَولايَ الَّذي يُغني وَأُثني

فَذَلِكَ دابُهُ وَالشُكرُ دابي

فَذَلِكَ دابُهُ وَالشُكرُ دابي

O my lord, who gives wealth while I give praise—

My wealth that enriches me and I praise

That is his custom, and gratitude is mine.

That is its merit and my praise its merit

أُطِيلُ لَكَ الثَناءَ فَما أُحاشي

أُطِيلُ لَكَ الثَناءَ فَما أُحاشي

وَأَمنَحُكَ الوِدادَ فَما أُحابي

وَأَمنَحُكَ الوِدادَ فَما أُحابي

I praise you at length, without reservation;

I prolong praise for you and do not refrain

And I give you affection, without partiality.

And grant you affection without restraint

كَثيرٌ حاسِدي سَهلٌ مَرامي

كَثيرٌ حاسِدي سَهلٌ مَرامي

مَنيعٌ جانِبي خَضِلٌ جَنابي

مَنيعٌ جانِبي خَضِلٌ جَنابي

Many are my enviers; I am easy to approach;

Many are my envious enemies, smooth are my aspirations

My side is unassailable; my grounds are dewy.

Impregnable my flanks, strong my shoulders