أرى دمع الجفون له انسجام

أرى دمع الجفون له انسجام

ألاح البرق أم صدح الحمامُ

ألاح البرق أم صدح الحمامُ

I see the tears of the eyes streaming freely.

I see the tears of the eyelids streaming.

Did lightning flash, or did the dove break into song?

Has lightning flashed, or have the doves cooed?

أهبّت نفحةً من أرض نجد

أهبّت نفحةً من أرض نجد

ينشر البان أم بانت خيام

ينشر البان أم بانت خيام

Did a fragrant breath blow from the land of Najd?

Has a breeze blown from the land of Najd,

Is the ben tree spreading perfume, or have tents come into view?

spreading the bān tree’s fragrance—or have tents appeared?

أم الأنوار بالعلمين عنّت

أم الأنوار بالعلمين عنّت

فهاج الشوق وافتضَحَ الغرام

فهاج الشوق وافتضَحَ الغرام

Or did the lights at al-ʿAlamayn appear?

Or have lights appeared at al-ʿAlamayn,

Then longing surged, and love betrayed itself.

so longing surged and passion was laid bare?

أشمت بريقَ أكتاف الحمى أم

أشمت بريقَ أكتاف الحمى أم

دعاك لأن تبوح بهم هيامُ

دعاك لأن تبوح بهم هيامُ

Did you glimpse the gleam upon al-Ḥimā’s slopes, or

Did you glimpse the gleam on the shoulders of al-Ḥimā, or

did passion summon you to speak openly of them?

did love’s frenzy urge you to speak openly of them?

أعاقك عن عقيق الخيف خوفٌ

أعاقك عن عقيق الخيف خوفٌ

فعَزّ الصبر واستولى السقام

فعَزّ الصبر واستولى السقام

Did fear hold you back from ʿAqīq al-Khayf,

Did fear keep you from ʿAqīq al-Khayf,

so patience became impossible and sickness took command?

so patience grew scarce and sickness took hold?

بدالك فوق صحن الخدّ دمعٌ

بدالك فوق صحن الخدّ دمعٌ

يصعده بأضلعك اضطرام

يصعده بأضلعك اضطرام

A tear appeared upon the smooth expanse of your cheek,

Tears appeared upon the surface of your cheek,

driven upward by a blaze within your ribs.

sent upward by a blaze within your ribs.

أظنك مغرماً مثلى كئيبا

أظنك مغرماً مثلى كئيبا

فبُح بهواك مثلك لا يُلام

فبُح بهواك مثلك لا يُلام

I think you are lovesick like me, melancholy;

I think you are, like me, lovesick and sorrowful;

then confess your love—one such as you is not blamed.

so confess your love: one like you is not blamed.

وخبّر ما دهاك وصف فإني

وخبّر ما دهاك وصف فإني

بهم كلِفٌ وصبٌ مستهام

بهم كلِفٌ وصبٌ مستهام

Tell what befell you, and describe it, for I am

And tell what has befallen you, and describe it, for I

infatuated with them, yearning, lost in love.

am enamored of them, ailing and crazed with love.

أتطمع في الوصال وقد تناءى

أتطمع في الوصال وقد تناءى

لقد بعد المدى بك والمرامُ

لقد بعد المدى بك والمرامُ

Do you hope for union, though they have gone far away?

Do you hope for reunion, though it has grown distant?

The distance and the desired goal have indeed grown far from you.

Indeed, the distance has grown great for you, and the goal remote.

ألا للَه ذكرٌ بالمصلى

ألا للَه ذكرٌ بالمصلى

وسكّانٌ بذي سلم كرام

وسكّانٌ بذي سلم كرام

Ah, by God, what memories at al-Muṣallā,

Ah, God be praised for a remembrance at al-Muṣallā,

and what noble dwellers at Dhū Salam!

and noble dwellers at Dhū Salam!

أثاروا بالحثا حرقاً وحزناً

أثاروا بالحثا حرقاً وحزناً

فنوم العين بعدهم حرام

فنوم العين بعدهم حرام

With their camel-song they stirred burning anguish and grief;

They stirred burning anguish and sorrow in the breast,

after them, sleep is forbidden to the eye.

so the eye is forbidden sleep after their departure.

ترى هل تسمح الأيام حقا

ترى هل تسمح الأيام حقا

بوصلهم فيشتمل النظام

بوصلهم فيشتمل النظام

Do you think the days will truly grant

Do you think the days will truly grant

union with them, so the strand may be whole again?

reunion with them, so the necklace is made whole?

لقد بعد المزار وخفت أنى

لقد بعد المزار وخفت أنى

سيفجأني على بعدى الحمام

سيفجأني على بعدى الحمام

The place of meeting has grown distant, and I fear

The place of visitation has indeed grown distant, and I fear that

death will overtake me while I am far away.

death will suddenly overtake me while I am far away.

فيا لله من عمر قصير

فيا لله من عمر قصير

وشوق للأحبة لا يرام

وشوق للأحبة لا يرام

Alas before God for a life so brief,

O God, what a brief life,

and longing for beloved ones that cannot be fulfilled.

and a longing for loved ones that cannot be fulfilled!

سقى ربعاً بيثرب حل فيه

سقى ربعاً بيثرب حل فيه

علا قد فاق كل علا غمام

علا قد فاق كل علا غمام

May a dwelling in Yathrib be watered—the place where there abides

May a dwelling in Yathrib be watered—within it dwelt

a glory surpassing every glory—by a raincloud,

a glory surpassing every glory—by a cloud,

وحياءه بريحان وطيب

وحياءه بريحان وطيب

كما قد فُضّ عن مسك ختام

كما قد فُضّ عن مسك ختام

and may it greet that dwelling with basil and perfume,

and greeted with sweet basil and perfume,

as though a seal had been broken from musk.

as though the seal on musk had been broken.