إِنَّ القُدودَ عَلى تَأَوُّدِها

إِنَّ القُدودَ عَلى تَأَوُّدِها

فَتكَت بِكُلِّ مُقَوَّمٍ لَدنِ

فَتكَت بِكُلِّ مُقَوَّمٍ لَدنِ

Indeed, the figures, for all their swaying,

The cords of her affection have ensnared every supple one,

have laid low every straight, supple spear.

And I see the dress of the Turks has left neither

وَأَرى لِحاظَ التُركِ ما تَرَكَت

وَأَرى لِحاظَ التُركِ ما تَرَكَت

قَدراً لِهِندِيٍّ وَلا يَمَني

قَدراً لِهِندِيٍّ وَلا يَمَني

And I see that the Turks’ glances have left

A portion for the Indian nor the Yemenite.

no standing for an Indian sword or a Yemeni one.

O withholder of the poverty of your lover,

يا مانِعاً مِن فَقرِ عاشِقِهِ

يا مانِعاً مِن فَقرِ عاشِقِهِ

زَكَواتِ حُسنٍ أَنتَ عَنهُ غَني

زَكَواتِ حُسنٍ أَنتَ عَنهُ غَني

O you who withhold from your lover in his poverty

From the purities of a beauty you are without need.

beauty’s alms, which you can spare:

Follow your beauty with kindness to us,

أَتبع جَمالَكَ بِالجَميلِ لَنا

أَتبع جَمالَكَ بِالجَميلِ لَنا

ما أَليَقَ الإِحسانَ بِالحُسنِ

ما أَليَقَ الإِحسانَ بِالحُسنِ

Follow your beauty with kindness to us—

How appropriate is benevolence to beauty!

how fitting kindness is to beauty!

Harshness from you is a known trait

الصَدُّ مِنكَ سَجِيَّةٌ عُرِفَت

الصَدُّ مِنكَ سَجِيَّةٌ عُرِفَت

مِثلَ السَماحَةِ في بَني يَمَنِ

مِثلَ السَماحَةِ في بَني يَمَنِ

Your turning away is a well-known trait,

Like generosity among the people of Yemen.

like generosity among the sons of Yemen:

A people with whom wealth spends the night

قَومٌ يَبيتُ المالُ عِندَهُم

قَومٌ يَبيتُ المالُ عِندَهُم

في غُربَةٍ وَالمَجدُ في وَطَنِ

في غُربَةٍ وَالمَجدُ في وَطَنِ

a people with whom wealth spends the night

In estrangement, while glory is at home.

in exile, while glory is at home.