كمْ ليَوْمِ الفِراقِ منْ غُصّهْ

كمْ ليَوْمِ الفِراقِ منْ غُصّهْ

في فؤادِ العَميدْ

في فؤادِ العَميدْ

How many a choking pang the day of parting brings

How heavy is the day of parting

to the heart of the lovesick one!

In the heart of the chief

ترْفَعُ الأمْرَ فيهِ والقِصّهْ

ترْفَعُ الأمْرَ فيهِ والقِصّهْ

للوَليّ الحَميدْ

للوَليّ الحَميدْ

It brings his plight and story

To raise the matter then and the story

before the praiseworthy protector.

To the gracious guardian

رحَلَ الرّكْبُ يقْطَعُ البَيْدا

رحَلَ الرّكْبُ يقْطَعُ البَيْدا

بسَفينِ النّياقْ

بسَفينِ النّياقْ

The caravan departed, crossing the desert

The caravan traveled cutting through the desert

on ships of she-camels.

With the sailing camel

كُلُّ وجْناءَ تُتْلِعُ الجِيدا

كُلُّ وجْناءَ تُتْلِعُ الجِيدا

وتَبُذُّ الرِّفاقْ

وتَبُذُّ الرِّفاقْ

Every sturdy she-camel stretches her neck

Every beautiful gazelle calling out

and outstrips her companions.

And parting from friends

حسِبْت لَيْلَةَ اللِّقا عيدا

حسِبْت لَيْلَةَ اللِّقا عيدا

فهْيَ ذاتُ اشْتِياقْ

فهْيَ ذاتُ اشْتِياقْ

I counted the night of reunion a feast,

I thought the night of meeting was a celebration

and she is full of longing.

Yet it was full of yearning

صائِماتٍ لا تقْبَلُ الرّخْصَهْ

صائِماتٍ لا تقْبَلُ الرّخْصَهْ

قبْلَ فِطْرٍ وَعيدْ

قبْلَ فِطْرٍ وَعيدْ

Fasting, they accept no dispensation

Fasting women who don’t accept the concession

before the breaking of the fast and the feast.

Before the feast and holiday

فهْيَ مُذْ أمّلَتْهُ مُخْتَصّهْ

فهْيَ مُذْ أمّلَتْهُ مُخْتَصّهْ

بجِهادٍ جَهيدْ

بجِهادٍ جَهيدْ

So, since they hoped for it, they have been devoted

Since it hoped for it, it became specialized

to an arduous struggle.

With enormous effort

يا إمامَ العَلاءِ والفَخْرِ

يا إمامَ العَلاءِ والفَخْرِ

ذا السّنا المُبْهِجِ

ذا السّنا المُبْهِجِ

O leader in eminence and glory,

O Imam of the noble and the pride

possessor of gladdening radiance,

Of radiant years

هاكَها لا عدِمْتَ في الدّهْرِ

هاكَها لا عدِمْتَ في الدّهْرِ

آمِلاً مُرْتَجي

آمِلاً مُرْتَجي

take it—may you never lack, throughout time,

I present you this, may you never lack in life

a hopeful, expectant seeker.

Hoping and aspiring

عارَضْتُ قوْلَ بائِعِ التّمْرِ

عارَضْتُ قوْلَ بائِعِ التّمْرِ

بمَقالٍ شَجي

بمَقالٍ شَجي

I answered the date-seller's words

I confronted the saying of the date seller

with a plaintive utterance:

With difficult words

غرّبوكِ الجِمالُ يا حَفْصَهْ

غرّبوكِ الجِمالُ يا حَفْصَهْ

منْ مَكانٍ بَعيدْ

منْ مَكانٍ بَعيدْ

The camels bore you westward, O Hafsa,

Beauty has hidden you, oh Hafsa

from a distant place,

From a far place

منْ سِجِلْماسَةٍ ومنْ قَفْصَهْ

منْ سِجِلْماسَةٍ ومنْ قَفْصَهْ

وبِلادِ الجَريدْ

وبِلادِ الجَريدْ

from Sijilmasa and from Gafsa,

From Ségilmassa and from Kafsa

and the land of al-Jarid.

And the lands of Jarid