أَنَختُ جَديلاً عِندَ بَثنَةَ لَيلَةً

أَنَختُ جَديلاً عِندَ بَثنَةَ لَيلَةً

وَيَوماً أَطالَ اللَهُ رَغمَ جَديلِ

وَيَوماً أَطالَ اللَهُ رَغمَ جَديلِ

I made Jadīl kneel beside Bathna for a night,

I pitched my tent at Buthna for a night

And a day—may God prolong Jadīl’s humiliation!

And a day Allah prolonged despite my tent

أَلَيسَ مُناخُ النِضوِ يَوماً وَلَيلَةً

أَلَيسَ مُناخُ النِضوِ يَوماً وَلَيلَةً

لِبَثنَةَ فيما بَينَنا بِقَليلِ

لِبَثنَةَ فيما بَينَنا بِقَليلِ

Is not the weary camel’s halt for a day and a night,

Is not the stopping place of comfort a day and a night

For Bathna, given what is between us, but little?

For Buthna amidst the two of us a little while?

بُثَينَ سَليني بَعضَ مالي فَإِنَّما

بُثَينَ سَليني بَعضَ مالي فَإِنَّما

يُبَيِّنُ عِندَ المالِ كُلُّ بَخيلِ

يُبَيِّنُ عِندَ المالِ كُلُّ بَخيلِ

Buthayn, ask me for some of my wealth, for only

O Buthaina ask me for some of my money, for

When it comes to wealth does every miser reveal himself.

Only the miserly is made evident by money

وَإِنّي وَتَكراري الزِيارَةَ نَحوَكُم

وَإِنّي وَتَكراري الزِيارَةَ نَحوَكُم

لَبَينَ يَدَي هَجرٍ بُثَينَ طَويلِ

لَبَينَ يَدَي هَجرٍ بُثَينَ طَويلِ

And I, with my repeated visits to you all,

And my repeating the visit towards you

Am surely facing a long estrangement, Buthayn.

Is clearly before a long separation, O Buthaina

فَيا لَيتَ شِعري هَل تَقولينَ بَعدَنا

فَيا لَيتَ شِعري هَل تَقولينَ بَعدَنا

إِذا نَحنُ أَزمَعنا غَداً لِرَحيلِ

إِذا نَحنُ أَزمَعنا غَداً لِرَحيلِ

So, would that I knew: will you say, after we are gone,

So would that I knew, will you say after us

When we resolve to depart tomorrow,

When we intend tomorrow for departure:

أَلا لَيتَ أَيّاماً مَضينَ رَواجِعٌ

أَلا لَيتَ أَيّاماً مَضينَ رَواجِعٌ

وَلَيتَ النَوى قَد ساعَدَت بِجَميلِ

وَلَيتَ النَوى قَد ساعَدَت بِجَميلِ

‘Oh, would that the days gone by might return,

“Oh would that bygone days might return

And would that separation had been favorable to Jamīl’?

And would that vows had been helpful”