عَرِفتُ مَصيفَ الحَيِّ وَالمُتَرَبَّعا

عَرِفتُ مَصيفَ الحَيِّ وَالمُتَرَبَّعا

كَما خَطَّتِ الكَفُّ الكِتابَ المُرَجَّعا

كَما خَطَّتِ الكَفُّ الكِتابَ المُرَجَّعا

I recognized the tribe's summer camp and spring camp,

I knew the abode of the living and the settled

like writing traced and retraced by a hand.

As the palm traced the much referenced book

مَعارِفُ أَطلالٍ لِبِثنَةَ أَصبَحَت

مَعارِفُ أَطلالٍ لِبِثنَةَ أَصبَحَت

مَعارِفُها قَفراً مِنَ الحَيِّ بَلقَعا

مَعارِفُها قَفراً مِنَ الحَيِّ بَلقَعا

Familiar traces of Buthna's ruins; now

The knowledge of remnants for a smile that became

their landmarks have become a barren waste, empty of the tribe.

Its knowledge a barren expanse from the living a stain

مَعارِفُ لِلخَودِ الَّتي قُلتُ أَجمِلي

مَعارِفُ لِلخَودِ الَّتي قُلتُ أَجمِلي

إِلَينا فَقَد أَصفَيتِ بِالوُدِّ أَجمَعا

إِلَينا فَقَد أَصفَيتِ بِالوُدِّ أَجمَعا

Traces of the fair maiden to whom I said, 'Be gracious

The knowledge for a cheek I said "Be beautiful to us"

to us, for you have bestowed your affection in full.'

For you have chosen with love in its entirety

فَقالَت أَفِق ما عِندَنا لَكَ حاجَةٌ

فَقالَت أَفِق ما عِندَنا لَكَ حاجَةٌ

وَقَد كُنتَ عَنّا ذا عَزاءٍ مُشَيَّعا

وَقَد كُنتَ عَنّا ذا عَزاءٍ مُشَيَّعا

She said, 'Come to your senses; we have nothing for you.

So she said "Wake up, we have no need of you"

And you once bore our absence with steadfast resignation.'

While you were from us with comfort escorted

فَقُلتُ لَها لَو كُنتُ أُعطيتُ عَنكُمُ

فَقُلتُ لَها لَو كُنتُ أُعطيتُ عَنكُمُ

عَزاءً لَأَقلَلتُ الغَداةَ تَضَرُّعا

عَزاءً لَأَقلَلتُ الغَداةَ تَضَرُّعا

I said to her, 'If, away from you, I had been granted

So I said "If I were consoled from you

resignation, I would have pleaded less this morning.'

I would have lessened the dawn beseeching"

فَقالَت أَكُلَّ الناسِ أَصبَحتَ مانِحاً

فَقالَت أَكُلَّ الناسِ أَصبَحتَ مانِحاً

لِسانَكَ كَيما أَن تَغُرَّ وَتَخدَعا

لِسانَكَ كَيما أَن تَغُرَّ وَتَخدَعا

She said, 'Is it to everyone that you now offer

So she said "To all people you have become a flatterer

your tongue, in order to beguile and deceive?'

Your tongue so that you may deceive and beguile"