تَذَكَرتَ سُعدى أم أتاكَ خَيالُها

تَذَكَرتَ سُعدى أم أتاكَ خَيالُها

أم الريحُ قد هَبّت أليك شمالُها

أم الريحُ قد هَبّت أليك شمالُها

Did you remember Su'da, or did her phantom come to you?

Do you remember Su’da or did her image come to you?

Or has the wind's northerly breeze blown toward you?

Or did the wind blow her scent to you from the north?

وما كنتَ لولا بينُ سعدي وصدها

وما كنتَ لولا بينُ سعدي وصدها

تغركَ أوهامُ المنى وَضَلالُها

تغركَ أوهامُ المنى وَضَلالُها

And were it not for parting from Su'da and her rejection,

You would not have been deceived by fanciful hopes and their misguidance,

The fancies of hope and its delusions would not deceive you.

Were it not for the separation between Su’da and your love for her.

لَقَدْ حَلّ هذا البينُ عَقْدَ تَصَبري

لَقَدْ حَلّ هذا البينُ عَقْدَ تَصَبري

عشيّةَ شُدَّتْ للرحيل حالُها

عشيّةَ شُدَّتْ للرحيل حالُها

This parting has indeed undone the knot of my patience,

Indeed this separation has undone the knot of my patience,

On the evening her [saddles?] were fastened for departure.

On an eve when she prepared for departure.

إذا اقتيدَت الأحمالُ للسّير قادَني

إذا اقتيدَت الأحمالُ للسّير قادَني

إلى مَوْطن من آل سعدي جِمالُها

إلى مَوْطن من آل سعدي جِمالُها

When the pack train was led off for the journey, I was led

When the camel litters were loaded for travel, it led me

By her camels to a dwelling among Su'da's kin.

To a place inhabited by Su’da’s tribe, their beauty.

سأجعَلُ خَدَّي مَوطئاً لِمَطيِّها

سأجعَلُ خَدَّي مَوطئاً لِمَطيِّها

على الأين إن أدنى خُطاها كِلالُها

على الأين إن أدنى خُطاها كِلالُها

I shall make my cheek a foothold for her riding camels,

I will make my cheek a stepping stone for her mount,

Despite fatigue, if their weariness shortens their steps.

If her slipping feet bring it near out of weariness.

وَمَنْ لي بتِشبيع الحمول ودونَها

وَمَنْ لي بتِشبيع الحمول ودونَها

عيونُ حُماةٍ ما يُباحُ حَلالُها

عيونُ حُماةٍ ما يُباحُ حَلالُها

And who will let me [see off?] the laden camels, when before them

But who can help me win her favors which are unlawful for me?

Stand guardians' eyes, forbidding even lawful access?

Eyes of protectors whose lawful rights I cannot infringe.

وما أنا مِمّنْ يرهبُ الموتَ إن سطا

وما أنا مِمّنْ يرهبُ الموتَ إن سطا

عليه بِما يُدني المنيّةَ آلُها

عليه بِما يُدني المنيّةَ آلُها

Nor am I one who fears death, if assailed

I am not one who fears death if it comes

By her kin with what brings death near.

With what brings man closer to his inevitable fate.

ولم أنْسَها لمّا تَوَلّت وَمُقْلَتي

ولم أنْسَها لمّا تَوَلّت وَمُقْلَتي

تُريها غروبَ الدمع كيفَ انهمالها

تُريها غروبَ الدمع كيفَ انهمالها

And I did not forget her when she turned away, while my eye

I did not forget her when she turned away, while my tears

Showed her how bucketfuls of tears poured down.

Showed her the sunset of weeping and its descent.

لأتبعتُها في السّيْر نَفْساً أسيرةً

لأتبعتُها في السّيْر نَفْساً أسيرةً

إلى الله إنْ عزَّ اللقاء مآلُها

إلى الله إنْ عزَّ اللقاء مآلُها

I would have sent a captive soul after her on the journey,

I would have followed her in travel like a captive soul,

Whose final return is to God, if reunion proves beyond reach.

To God, if the reunion were difficult to attain.

فآهاً لما غادَرت يا أم مالك

فآهاً لما غادَرت يا أم مالك

منم الحسرة اللاتي تشبَ اشتعالها

منم الحسرة اللاتي تشبَ اشتعالها

Alas, then, for what you left behind, O Umm Malik,

Oh, grief for she who departed, O mother of Malik!

Of anguish whose burning flares up!

My anguish has flared up in those left behind.

وإنّي بتسآل الرَّسوم لمولَعٌ

وإنّي بتسآل الرَّسوم لمولَعٌ

بعيد النّوى لو كانَ يُجدي سؤالها

بعيد النّوى لو كانَ يُجدي سؤالها

And I am indeed enamored of questioning the campsite traces,

I ask the ruins insistently out of yearning

Far from her—if only questioning them could avail!

For the far one, if asking could avail.

أما وليالينا التي قد تصَرَّمتْ

أما وليالينا التي قد تصَرَّمتْ

بها أذْ شَفَا الّداءَ الدَّفينَ وصالهُا

بها أذْ شَفَا الّداءَ الدَّفينَ وصالهُا

Now, by our nights that have passed away

As for our nights which have passed away,

With her, when union with her healed the buried ailment—

In them the lasting disease was healed by union with her!

لَقَد أقبَلَ الصّلد الوزيرُ محمّدٌ

لَقَد أقبَلَ الصّلد الوزيرُ محمّدٌ

فأقبَلَت الدُّنيا وَسَرَّ وصالُها

فأقبَلَت الدُّنيا وَسَرَّ وصالُها

Indeed, the rock-solid minister Muhammad has arrived,

The minister Muhammad al-Sallad has arrived,

So the world came forward, and union with it brought joy.

So good times have come, and union with her.