سَقى صَوبُ الحَيا أَرضَ الحِجاز

سَقى صَوبُ الحَيا أَرضَ الحِجاز

وَجادَ مراتعَ الغيد الجَوازي

وَجادَ مراتعَ الغيد الجَوازي

May the downpour of rain water the land of the Hijaz,

The clouds watered the land of Hejaz

And lavish rain upon the pastures of the graceful gazelles,

And rained on the pastures of abundant virtue

وَحيّا بالمقامِ مقامَ حيٍّ

وَحيّا بالمقامِ مقامَ حيٍّ

كِرامٍ في عَشيرتهم عِزازِ

كِرامٍ في عَشيرتهم عِزازِ

And greet, at the Maqam, the dwelling of a clan,

And greeted with honor, the abode of the living

Noble and mighty within their tribe.

The generous kinsfolk, honored and glorious

هُمُ حامو الحَقيقَةِ يومَ يَدعو

هُمُ حامو الحَقيقَةِ يومَ يَدعو

حماةُ الحيِّ حيَّ على البِرازِ

حماةُ الحيِّ حيَّ على البِرازِ

They are guardians of honor on the day the call goes up

They protected the truth when called upon

From the clan's defenders: 'Come forth to single combat!'

Protectors of the living, alive and vigorous

حَموا بالسُمر بيضَهم وَشاموا

حَموا بالسُمر بيضَهم وَشاموا

عليها كلَّ ذي شُطَبٍ جُرازِ

عليها كلَّ ذي شُطَبٍ جُرازِ

They guarded their fair women with dusky spears, and drew

They protected their honor with steadfastness

Over them every grooved, keen-cutting sword.

Every man of merit, dignified and gracious

فَخافوا الخزيَ من عارٍ وَحاشا

فَخافوا الخزيَ من عارٍ وَحاشا

حماهم أَن تُلِمَّ به المَخازي

حماهم أَن تُلِمَّ به المَخازي

So they feared disgrace through dishonor—yet far be it

They feared disgrace and shame

That shame should ever befall their protected domain!

May their Protector spare them from disdain

وَغاروا أَن يُلمَّ بهنَّ صبٌّ

وَغاروا أَن يُلمَّ بهنَّ صبٌّ

فَعاقوا الجائزين عن الجَوازي

فَعاقوا الجائزين عن الجَوازي

And grew jealous lest a lovesick man come near them,

They were wary of any youth that approached

So they barred the passersby from the gazelles.

So they shunned all suitors, cautious and wary

وَلَو وَكَلوا الحِفاظَ إلى الغَواني

وَلَو وَكَلوا الحِفاظَ إلى الغَواني

لأغنينَ الغيورَ عن اِحتِرازِ

لأغنينَ الغيورَ عن اِحتِرازِ

And had they entrusted the keeping of honor to the lovely women,

Had they entrusted their protection to flirts

They would have spared the jealous man the need for caution.

It would have spared the zealous their caution

فَكَم فيهنَّ من بَيضاءَ رؤدٍ

فَكَم فيهنَّ من بَيضاءَ رؤدٍ

ضياءُ جَبينها بالصُبح هازي

ضياءُ جَبينها بالصُبح هازي

For among them is many a fair, tender maiden,

Among them are many virtuous, radiant ladies

Whose brow's radiance scoffs at the dawn.

Whose glowing brows rival the dawn’s shine

غَزَت كلَّ القُلوب هوىً وأَردَت

غَزَت كلَّ القُلوب هوىً وأَردَت

بسيفِ اللَحظ منها كلَّ غازِ

بسيفِ اللَحظ منها كلَّ غازِ

She invaded every heart with love, and slew

They captivated all hearts with love and desire

With the sword of her glance, every invader.

And with glance of an eye, struck down all lovers

لَها خَفَرٌ حَماها قبل تُسمى

لَها خَفَرٌ حَماها قبل تُسمى

وَيَعزوها إِلى الآباء عازِ

وَيَعزوها إِلى الآباء عازِ

She has a modesty that guarded her before she was named,

They have guards protecting them before being named

And before anyone traced her lineage to her forefathers.

And fathers who attach them to glorious ancestry

تُجازي في الهَوى بالودِّ صدّاً

تُجازي في الهَوى بالودِّ صدّاً

وَحسبُ أَخي الهَوى أَن لا تجازي

وَحسبُ أَخي الهَوى أَن لا تجازي

In love she repays affection with rejection,

They reciprocate love with affection

And it is enough for the lover that she not requite him.

And for my brother, love, do not reciprocate

سمت بدرَ الدُجُنَّة في انِبلاجٍ

سمت بدرَ الدُجُنَّة في انِبلاجٍ

وأُملود الحَديقةِ في اِهتزازِ

وأُملود الحَديقةِ في اِهتزازِ

She surpassed the dark night's full moon in radiance,

She rose like the full moon in its brilliance

And the garden's tender bough in swaying.

And the beauty of the garden in its swaying

فَيا لِلَّهِ عصرُ هوىً تقضّى

فَيا لِلَّهِ عصرُ هوىً تقضّى

بأَفنانِ الحقيقة وَالمجازِ

بأَفنانِ الحقيقة وَالمجازِ

O God, an age of love has passed,

Oh what an era of love fulfilled

Amid the branches of reality and metaphor.

With the ecstasy of the real and the metaphoric

لياليَ مَشربي في الحُبِّ صَفوٌ

لياليَ مَشربي في الحُبِّ صَفوٌ

وَثَوبُ اللَهو مَنقوشُ الطِرازِ

وَثَوبُ اللَهو مَنقوشُ الطِرازِ

Nights when my draught of love was clear,

My nights are pure rapture in love

And the robe of pleasure had an embroidered border.

And the dress of revelry, ornate and artistic

أهمُّ فَلا يَفوتُ الأُنس همّي

أهمُّ فَلا يَفوتُ الأُنس همّي

وَلا يَخلو من الفُرصِ اِنتِهازي

وَلا يَخلو من الفُرصِ اِنتِهازي

I form a wish, and companionship never eludes my desire,

I care not if I miss companionship

Nor does my seizing of chances lack opportunities.

Or if opportunities pass me unexploited

وأَهوي في الظَلام على الغواني

وأَهوي في الظَلام على الغواني

كَما يَهوي على الكُدريِّ بازِ

كَما يَهوي على الكُدريِّ بازِ

And I swoop in the darkness upon the lovely women,

And I swoop down on flirts in the dark

As a hawk swoops upon the dusky sandgrouse.

As a falcon swoops down on its prey

أَقول لصاحبي وَالرَكبُ سارٍ

أَقول لصاحبي وَالرَكبُ سارٍ

وَقَد غَنّى الحداةُ عَلى النشازِ

وَقَد غَنّى الحداةُ عَلى النشازِ

I say to my companion, while the caravan travels by night,

I say to my companion, as our group proceeds

And the camel-drivers have sung upon the heights,

And singers serenade to the beat of drums

وَلاحَ من الحِجاز لنا بَريقٌ

وَلاحَ من الحِجاز لنا بَريقٌ

تلألأ يَستطيرُ على حَرازِ

تلألأ يَستطيرُ على حَرازِ

And a gleam from the Hijaz has appeared to us,

From Hejaz dawned a light for us

Sparkling and spreading over Haraz:

That glitters and flutters about the fortresses

سَقى اللَه الحجازَ وَساكنيه

سَقى اللَه الحجازَ وَساكنيه

وَحَيّا معهدَ الخود الكِنازِ

وَحَيّا معهدَ الخود الكِنازِ

May God water the Hijaz and its inhabitants,

May God water Hejaz and its inhabitants

And greet the abode of the full-figured maiden.

And enliven the abode of refinement and grace

إِلى أَهلِ الحِجازِ يحنُّ قَلبي

إِلى أَهلِ الحِجازِ يحنُّ قَلبي

فوا شَوقي إلى أَهلِ الحجازِ

فوا شَوقي إلى أَهلِ الحجازِ

My heart yearns for the people of the Hijaz,

My heart yearns for the people of Hejaz

Ah, my longing for the people of the Hijaz!

So alleviate my longing for the people of Hejaz