حَبَّذا طَيْفُ عَلْوَةٍ حِينَ أَسْرَى

حَبَّذا طَيْفُ عَلْوَةٍ حِينَ أَسْرَى

مِنْ زِياراتِهِ فَفَكَّ الأَسْرَى

مِنْ زِياراتِهِ فَفَكَّ الأَسْرَى

How lovely was ʿAlwa's phantom when it journeyed by night,

Blessed was the ghost of Alwa when it passed by

on one of its visits, setting the captives free.

And freed me from captivity with its visit

زارَنِي وَالصَّباحُ قَد لاحَ فِي اللَّيْ

زارَنِي وَالصَّباحُ قَد لاحَ فِي اللَّيْ

لِ وَقَدْ لِلنَّسِيمِ الفَجْرَا

لِ وَقَدْ لِلنَّسِيمِ الفَجْرَا

It visited me as morning had already shone in the night,

It visited me as dawn shone in the night

and already [wording incomplete] dawn for the breeze.

And the morning breeze stirred

وَبَنو نَعْشَ شاخِصاتٌ إلَى القُطْ

وَبَنو نَعْشَ شاخِصاتٌ إلَى القُطْ

بِ حَيارَى وَالنَّسْرُ يَقْفو الإِثْرا

بِ حَيارَى وَالنَّسْرُ يَقْفو الإِثْرا

And Banū Naʿsh gaze toward the pole,

With palm-branches pointing to the sand dunes

bewildered, while the Eagle follows the trail.

Bewildered, and the eagles in pursuit

وَالمَصابِيحُ أَطْفَأَتْها يَدُ الصُّبْ

وَالمَصابِيحُ أَطْفَأَتْها يَدُ الصُّبْ

حِ فَشابَتْ مَفارِقُ الرَّوْضِ ذُعْرَا

حِ فَشابَتْ مَفارِقُ الرَّوْضِ ذُعْرَا

And the lamps were extinguished by morning's hand,

The lamps were extinguished by the hand of dawn

so the garden's hair-partings turned gray with fright.

So the orchard outskirts grew dark and gloomy

وَسَقيطُ الغَمامِ يَرْشَحُ دُرّاً

وَسَقيطُ الغَمامِ يَرْشَحُ دُرّاً

فَوْقَ أَوْراقِهِ فيُصْبِحُ دُرَّا

فَوْقَ أَوْراقِهِ فيُصْبِحُ دُرَّا

And dew from the clouds drips pearls

And drizzle from the clouds sprinkles pearls

over its leaves, becoming pearls by morning.

Onto its leaves, making them glisten

جادَها وابِلُ السَّماءِ رَشاشاً

جادَها وابِلُ السَّماءِ رَشاشاً

فَهْيَ تَبْكِي طَوْراً وَتَضْحَكُ طَوْرَا

فَهْيَ تَبْكِي طَوْراً وَتَضْحَكُ طَوْرَا

Heaven's downpour lavished spray upon them,

It poured from the sky in a light shower

so they weep at times and laugh at times.

At times crying, at others laughing

نَقَشَتْها أَيْدِي الرَّبيعِ فَلاَ تُزْ

نَقَشَتْها أَيْدِي الرَّبيعِ فَلاَ تُزْ

هِرُ إلاّ بِيضاً وَحُمْراً وَصُفْرَا

هِرُ إلاّ بِيضاً وَحُمْراً وَصُفْرَا

Spring's hands painted them, so they bloom

The hands of spring adorned it, so it only blooms

only white, red, and yellow.

White, red, and yellow

يَتَلامَعْنَ فِي الدُّجَى كالَدَّنانِي

يَتَلامَعْنَ فِي الدُّجَى كالَدَّنانِي

رِ وَيُعْطِينَ فِي الدُّجُنَّةِ عِطْرَا

رِ وَيُعْطِينَ فِي الدُّجُنَّةِ عِطْرَا

They glitter in the darkness like dinars,

Gleaming in the gloom like gold pieces

and give off fragrance in the gloom.

And spreading fragrance in the orchards

وَعَلى سِرِّ سِتْرِ عَلْوَةَ بَيْتٌ

وَعَلى سِرِّ سِتْرِ عَلْوَةَ بَيْتٌ

ما تَراهُ العُيونُ إلاّ شَزْرَا

ما تَراهُ العُيونُ إلاّ شَزْرَا

And over the secret of ʿAlwa's veil stands a tent

Over Alwa's secret place lies a home

that eyes behold only askance.

Eyes can only see from afar

ضُرِبَتْ دُونَها المَضارِبْ وَالْتَفَّ

ضُرِبَتْ دُونَها المَضارِبْ وَالْتَفَّ

تْ عَلَيْهِ الرِّجالُ شُعْثاً وَغُبْرَا

تْ عَلَيْهِ الرِّجالُ شُعْثاً وَغُبْرَا

Tents were pitched before her, and around it gathered

Tents were pitched around it and men gathered

men, disheveled and dust-covered.

Disheveled and covered in dust