تذكر العودُ عَهداً بالرياض على

تذكر العودُ عَهداً بالرياض على

مجرى العَقيق وَماءُ الخصب فيه جرى

مجرى العَقيق وَماءُ الخصب فيه جرى

The lute recalled a time in the gardens along

The lute remembers a time in meadows by

the course of al-Aqiq, where the waters of plenty flowed.

The bed of sweet water, where bounty flowed

وذكَّرتهُ غناءَ الطير ريشتُهُ

وذكَّرتهُ غناءَ الطير ريشتُهُ

من فوقهِ مثلَهُ أَيّامَ اذ نَضرا

من فوقهِ مثلَهُ أَيّامَ اذ نَضرا

And its quill reminded it of the birds’ singing

I reminded it of the birds' song, its feathers

from above it, like itself, in the days when it flourished.

Rustled over it, in days when both were green

فسامها نغماً يُروي حُشاشتَهُ

فسامها نغماً يُروي حُشاشتَهُ

فَطالبت بالَّذي قد شاءَهُ الوترا

فَطالبت بالَّذي قد شاءَهُ الوترا

So it asked the quill for a melody to slake its fading soul’s thirst;

It answered my longing with melody to slake

so the quill demanded of the string what the lute had desired.

The thirst fate's strings had brought it