قِف بِالمَنازِلِ وَاِندُبِ الأَطلالا

قِف بِالمَنازِلِ وَاِندُبِ الأَطلالا

وَسلِ الرُبوعَ الدارِساتِ سُؤالا

وَسلِ الرُبوعَ الدارِساتِ سُؤالا

Stop at the dwellings and lament the ruins,

Stop at the dwellings and mourn the ruins

and ask a question of the faded dwelling sites:

And ask the desolate ruins a question

أَينَ الأَحِبَّةُ أَينَ سارَت عيسُهُم

أَينَ الأَحِبَّةُ أَينَ سارَت عيسُهُم

هاتيكَ تَقطَعُ في اليَبابِ أَلالا

هاتيكَ تَقطَعُ في اليَبابِ أَلالا

Where are the loved ones? Where have their pale camels gone?

Where are the loved ones? Where did their abodes go?

There they are, crossing Alal in the barren waste.

These foundations lying in rubble wail pitifully

مِثلَ الحَدائِقِ في السَرابِ تَراهُمُ

مِثلَ الحَدائِقِ في السَرابِ تَراهُمُ

الآلُ يَعظُمُ في العُيونِ أَلالا

الآلُ يَعظُمُ في العُيونِ أَلالا

You see them like gardens in the mirage;

You see them in the mirage like gardens

the mirage makes Alal loom large before the eyes.

The family seems so grand in the eyes, so pitiful

ساروا يُريدونَ العُذَيبَ لِيَشرَبوا

ساروا يُريدونَ العُذَيبَ لِيَشرَبوا

ماءً بِهِ مِثلُ الحَياةِ زُلالا

ماءً بِهِ مِثلُ الحَياةِ زُلالا

They journeyed, seeking al-Udhayb, to drink

They journeyed seeking sweet water to drink

water there, clear and sweet as life.

Water that's like the elixir of life, pure

فَقَفَوتُ أَسأَلُ عَنهُمُ ريحَ الصَبا

فَقَفَوتُ أَسأَلُ عَنهُمُ ريحَ الصَبا

هَل خَيَّموا أَو إِستَظَلّوا الضالا

هَل خَيَّموا أَو إِستَظَلّوا الضالا

So I followed, asking the east wind about them:

So I stood and asked the east wind about them

Have they camped, or taken shade beneath the wild lote trees?

Did they camp or take shade wandering astray?

قالَت تَرَكتُ عَلى زَرودَ قِبابَهُم

قالَت تَرَكتُ عَلى زَرودَ قِبابَهُم

وَالعيسِ تَشكو مِن سُراها كَلالا

وَالعيسِ تَشكو مِن سُراها كَلالا

She said, 'I left their domed tents at Zarud,

It said: I left them at the domes of their tombs

with the pale camels complaining of weariness from their night journey.

While the foundation complains of its wounds

قَد أَسدَلوا فَوقَ القِبابِ مَضارِباً

قَد أَسدَلوا فَوقَ القِبابِ مَضارِباً

يَستُرنَ مِن حُرِّ الهَجيرِ جَمالا

يَستُرنَ مِن حُرِّ الهَجيرِ جَمالا

They have draped tent coverings over the domed tents,

They lowered tents over the domes

shielding beauty from the heat of noon.

To shield from the heat of the blazing sun

فَاِنهَض إِلَيهِم طالِباً آثارَهُم

فَاِنهَض إِلَيهِم طالِباً آثارَهُم

وَاِرفُل بِعيسِكَ نَحوَهُم إِرفالا

وَاِرفُل بِعيسِكَ نَحوَهُم إِرفالا

So rise and go to them, seeking their tracks,

So go to them seeking their relics

and proceed toward them with your pale camels in stately stride.

Lead your camel toward them slowly

فَإِذا وَقَفتَ عَلى مَعالِمِ حاجِرٍ

فَإِذا وَقَفتَ عَلى مَعالِمِ حاجِرٍ

وَقَطَعتَ أَغواراً بِها وَجِبالا

وَقَطَعتَ أَغواراً بِها وَجِبالا

Then, when you halt at the landmarks of Hajir

And when you stop at the signs of ruins

and have crossed its lowlands and mountains,

And cross the deep valleys and mountains

قَرَبُت مَنازِلُهُم وَلاحَت نارُهُم

قَرَبُت مَنازِلُهُم وَلاحَت نارُهُم

ناراً قَد اِشعَلَتِ الهَوى إِشعالا

ناراً قَد اِشعَلَتِ الهَوى إِشعالا

their dwellings draw near, and their fire comes into view—

Their dwellings draw near and their fires burn

a fire that has set passion ablaze.

Fires lit by burning passionate love

فَأَنِخ بِها لا يَرهَبَنَّكَ أُسُدُها

فَأَنِخ بِها لا يَرهَبَنَّكَ أُسُدُها

الإِشتِياقُ يُريكَها أَشبالا

الإِشتِياقُ يُريكَها أَشبالا

So make your camel kneel there; let not its lions frighten you:

So approach without fear of its lions

longing makes you see them as cubs.'

Yearning makes it seem like cubs to you