أَمِن آلِ سَلمى الرَسمَ أَنتَ مُسائِلُ

أَمِن آلِ سَلمى الرَسمَ أَنتَ مُسائِلُ

نَعَم وَالمَغاني قَد دَرَسنَ مَوائِلُ

نَعَم وَالمَغاني قَد دَرَسنَ مَوائِلُ

Is it the trace of Salma's people that you question?

Are you from the family of Salma, the one who questions?

Yes—and the dwelling places, those refuges, have faded away.

Yes, and the songs have taught their ways.

فَظَلتَ بها تُغضي عَلى حَدّ عَبرَةٍ

فَظَلتَ بها تُغضي عَلى حَدّ عَبرَةٍ

كَأَنَّكَ مِن تَجريبِكَ الدَهرَ جاهِلُ

كَأَنَّكَ مِن تَجريبِكَ الدَهرَ جاهِلُ

So you remained there, eyes lowered, on the verge of tears,

So you remained, closing your eyes to the brink of tears

as though, for all your experience of time, you knew nothing.

As if, from your life's trials, you were ignorant.

وَغَيَّرَ آياتٍ بِبُرقِ رَواوَةٍ

وَغَيَّرَ آياتٍ بِبُرقِ رَواوَةٍ

تَنائي اللَيالي وَالمَدى المُتَطاوِلُ

تَنائي اللَيالي وَالمَدى المُتَطاوِلُ

And the traces on Rawawa's stony sands were altered

And it changed verses with the lightning of happiness

by the passing nights and the ever-lengthening span of time.

As the nights grew long and the distances stretched.

وَقَد كانَ فيهِ لِذي اللُبِّ عِبرَةٌ

وَقَد كانَ فيهِ لِذي اللُبِّ عِبرَةٌ

وَرَأيٌ لِذي رَأيٍ فَهَل أَنتَ عاقِلُ

وَرَأيٌ لِذي رَأيٍ فَهَل أَنتَ عاقِلُ

And in it there was a lesson for one with understanding,

Yet in it was a lesson for the wise,

and insight for one with judgment—so are you discerning?

And an opinion for those with reason. Are you sensible?

تَذَكَّرُ إِخواناً مَضوا فَتَتابَعوا

تَذَكَّرُ إِخواناً مَضوا فَتَتابَعوا

وَشَيبٌ عَلى مِنكَ المَفارِقَ شامِلُ

وَشَيبٌ عَلى مِنكَ المَفارِقَ شامِلُ

You remember brothers who passed away, one after another,

Remember brothers now gone who passed away

while grey hair covers all the partings of your hair.

While grey hair covers those left behind.

غَوادٍ مِنَ الأَشراطِ وَطفٌ تُقِلُّها

غَوادٍ مِنَ الأَشراطِ وَطفٌ تُقِلُّها

رَوائِحُ أَنواءِ الثُرَيّا الهَواطِلُ

رَوائِحُ أَنواءِ الثُرَيّا الهَواطِلُ

Thick-fringed morning clouds from the Ashrat stars are borne aloft

Waves of lifetimes diminish, blown

by the pouring evening clouds of the Pleiades' rain-seasons.

By scents of rainshowers that pour down.