يا ظبي وجرة من شرقي كاظمةٍ

يا ظبي وجرة من شرقي كاظمةٍ

هل ان بالجانب الغربيّ ورادُ

هل ان بالجانب الغربيّ ورادُ

O gazelle of Wajra, east of Kāẓima,

O gazelle of Wajra, from the east of Kazima,

are there water-seekers on the western side?

Are there indeed water-seekers on the western side?

مُعذب ليد الرامي تخاتله

مُعذب ليد الرامي تخاتله

يا ريم رامة لا يرميك صيّاد

يا ريم رامة لا يرميك صيّاد

Tormenting—or tormented—delightful the shooting with which you beguile him;

Tormenting the archer's hand, you outwit him.

O gazelle of Rāma, may no hunter shoot you.

O white gazelle of Rama, may no hunter shoot you.

يا منهل العاطش الهيمان حلأه

يا منهل العاطش الهيمان حلأه

عن عذب وردك بالأصدار إيراد

عن عذب وردك بالأصدار إيراد

O spring, you barred the thirst-maddened wanderer

O watering-place of the thirsty, thirst-crazed one, he is barred

from the sweetness of drinking your water: his coming met only rebuff.

From your sweet draught by a summons to drink that sends him away.

قد قلت ما قلت لولا أن تمتَّ بنا

قد قلت ما قلت لولا أن تمتَّ بنا

لهاشم الجود آباء وأجداد

لهاشم الجود آباء وأجداد

I have said what I have said—if only you would grant me joy in our union;

I would have said my say, were it not that we are bound

for generosity’s Hāshim has fathers and forefathers.

To Hashim the generous through fathers and forefathers.

الموت فيك حياة يا أخا مضرٍ

الموت فيك حياة يا أخا مضرٍ

لعاشق وضلال النفس أرشاد

لعاشق وضلال النفس أرشاد

Death for your sake is life, O brother of Muḍar,

Death in loving you is life, O kinsman of Mudar,

for a lover; and the soul’s straying is guidance.

For a lover, and the soul's straying is guidance.

اشتار خدَّك أرياً حين أشربه

اشتار خدَّك أرياً حين أشربه

زدني فخدُّك لي شربٌ ولي زاد

زدني فخدُّك لي شربٌ ولي زاد

I draw pure honey from your cheeks whenever I drink it;

I gather honey from your cheek as I drink it.

give me more—your cheek is my drink and my journey’s store.

Give me more: your cheek is my drink and my sustenance.

وعدتني أمس بالأنجاد يوم غد

وعدتني أمس بالأنجاد يوم غد

صلني بيومي فالأيام أوعاد

صلني بيومي فالأيام أوعاد

Yesterday, in the uplands, you promised me tomorrow;

Yesterday you promised me aid for tomorrow;

join me on my day—for days are promised trysts.

Grant me union today, for the days are promises.

غصن كساه سقيط الطل ريّقه

غصن كساه سقيط الطل ريّقه

حتى انثنى وسقيط الطل أبراد

حتى انثنى وسقيط الطل أبراد

A bough—its saliva, the fallen dew, clothed it—

A bough that falling dew clothed in its purest drops,

until it bent, the fallen dew serving as its robes.

Until it bent, the falling dew its mantles.

القدُّ معتدلٌ والكشح منجدلٌ

القدُّ معتدلٌ والكشح منجدلٌ

والطرف مكتحل والخدّ وقّاد

والطرف مكتحل والخدّ وقّاد

The stature is upright, the waist supple-curving;

The figure is well-proportioned, the waist tightly twined,

the eye is kohl-dark, the cheek aflame.

And the eye is lined with kohl, the cheek ablaze.

غازلت منه على الوادي غزال نقاً

غازلت منه على الوادي غزال نقاً

يرنو إليَّ وملء العين آساد

يرنو إليَّ وملء العين آساد

In him, above the valley, I courted a gazelle of the dunes,

In him I courted, beside the valley, a gazelle of the dunes,

gazing at me while lions filled the whole field of sight.

He gazes at me, and lions fill his eye.

ما غار حبك إلا القلب أنجده

ما غار حبك إلا القلب أنجده

فلي بحبك أغوار وأنجاد

فلي بحبك أغوار وأنجاد

Your love descended to the lowland only for the heart to bear it up to the highland;

Love for you never descends without the heart raising it to the heights;

for in loving you I have both lowlands and highlands.

So in loving you, I have lowlands and highlands.