إِذا أَقْبَلَتْ أَقْعَتْ وَإِنْ أَدْبَرَتْ كَبَتْ

إِذا أَقْبَلَتْ أَقْعَتْ وَإِنْ أَدْبَرَتْ كَبَتْ

وَتَعْرِضُ طُولاً في الْعِنَانِ فَتَسْتَوي

وَتَعْرِضُ طُولاً في الْعِنَانِ فَتَسْتَوي

When she comes forward, she squats; and if she turns away, she stumbles.

When she approaches, she lowers her veil, and when she turns away, she raises it

And she turns broadside, lengthwise in the reins, then straightens.

Showing her graceful neck, evenly poised

وَكَلَّفْتُ حاجاتي شَبيهَةَ طائِرٍ

وَكَلَّفْتُ حاجاتي شَبيهَةَ طائِرٍ

إِذا انْتَشَرَتْ ظَلَّتْ لَها الأَرْضُ تَنْطَوي

إِذا انْتَشَرَتْ ظَلَّتْ لَها الأَرْضُ تَنْطَوي

And I charged one resembling a bird with my needs.

I charged my needs like a free-flying bird

When she stretches out, the earth keeps folding beneath her.

When it spreads its wings, the earth shades beneath

رَجَوْتُكَ لِلأَمْرِ المُهِمِّ وَفي يَدي

رَجَوْتُكَ لِلأَمْرِ المُهِمِّ وَفي يَدي

بَقايا أُمَنِّي النَّفْسَ فيها الأَمانِيا

بَقايا أُمَنِّي النَّفْسَ فيها الأَمانِيا

I placed my hope in you for the important matter, while in my hand

I hoped in you for the important matter, and in my hand

were remnants on which I fed my soul with hopes.

Were remnants of my soul's wishes and hopes

فَساوَفْتَ بي الأَيَّامَ حَتَّى إِذا انْقَضَتْ

فَساوَفْتَ بي الأَيَّامَ حَتَّى إِذا انْقَضَتْ

أَواخِرُ ما عِنْدي قَطَعْتَ رَجائِيا

أَواخِرُ ما عِنْدي قَطَعْتَ رَجائِيا

So you put me off day after day until, when there ran out

But you prolonged my days until when they ran out

the last of what I had, you cut off my hope.

The last of what I had, you cut off my hopes

وَكُنْتُ كأَنِّي نازِفُ البِئْرِ طالِباً

وَكُنْتُ كأَنِّي نازِفُ البِئْرِ طالِباً

لأِجْمامِها أَوْ يَرْجِعَ المَاءُ صافيا

لأِجْمامِها أَوْ يَرْجِعَ المَاءُ صافيا

And I was like one draining a well, hoping

I was like one drawing from a well, seeking

for it to fill again, or for the water to return clear.

Its overflow or the return of pure water

فلا هُوَ أَبْقَى ما أَصابَ لِنَفْسِهِ

فلا هُوَ أَبْقَى ما أَصابَ لِنَفْسِهِ

وَلا هِيَ أَعْطَتْهُ الَّذي في ناظِرَيْهِ

وَلا هِيَ أَعْطَتْهُ الَّذي في ناظِرَيْهِ

So he neither kept for himself what he had obtained,

But neither did it retain what met itself

nor did it give him what he had set his eyes on.

Nor did she give him what was in his eyes