عَفا رابِغٌ مِن أَهلِهِ فالظَواهِرُ

عَفا رابِغٌ مِن أَهلِهِ فالظَواهِرُ

فَأَكنافُ هَرشى قَد عَفَت فَالأَصافِرُ

فَأَكنافُ هَرشى قَد عَفَت فَالأَصافِرُ

Rābigh lies deserted of its people, and al-Ẓawāhir too;

Rabi departed from his family, so farewell to intimacy,

And Harshā's outskirts have fallen desolate, and al-Aṣāfir—

And the tents of Harsha have been folded up, so farewell to neighborliness,

مَغانٍ يُهَيِّجنَ الحَليمَ إِلى الصِبا

مَغانٍ يُهَيِّجنَ الحَليمَ إِلى الصِبا

وَهُنَّ قَديماتُ العُهودِ دَواثِرُ

وَهُنَّ قَديماتُ العُهودِ دَواثِرُ

Abodes that stir the sober-minded to youthful passion,

Flirtatious singing girls arouse even the forbearing to youthfulness,

Though their days are long past and their traces effaced;

Yet they are worn-out antiquities, so farewell to the ruins,

لِلَيلى وَجاراتٍ لِلَيلى كَأَنَّها

لِلَيلى وَجاراتٍ لِلَيلى كَأَنَّها

نِعاجُ المَلا تُحدى بِهنَّ الأَباعِرُ

نِعاجُ المَلا تُحدى بِهنَّ الأَباعِرُ

Laylā's, and those of Laylā's neighbors, who seemed like

For Layla and her fellow maidens, as though they were

Wild does of al-Malā, borne by camels urged onward with song.

Ewes of the pen challenged by the white-faced sheep,

بِما قَد أَرى تِلكَ الدِيارَ وَأَهلَها

بِما قَد أَرى تِلكَ الدِيارَ وَأَهلَها

وَهُنَّ جَمِيعاتُ الأَنيسِ عَوامِرُ

وَهُنَّ جَمِيعاتُ الأَنيسِ عَوامِرُ

Once I would see those dwellings and their people,

By what I see of those abodes and their inhabitants,

And they were full of company, alive with inhabitants.

While they collectively were friendly dwellings,

أَجَدَّك أَن دارُ الرّبابِ تَباعَدَت

أَجَدَّك أَن دارُ الرّبابِ تَباعَدَت

أَو اِنبَتَّ حَبلٌ أَنَّ قَلبَكَ طائِرُ

أَو اِنبَتَّ حَبلٌ أَنَّ قَلبَكَ طائِرُ

Is it truly because al-Rabāb's home has grown distant,

I wondered if the abode of Rabab had become distant,

Or a cord has snapped, that your heart takes flight?

Or if an infirmity arose that your heart took flight,

أَفِق قَد أَفاقَ العاشِقونَ وَفارَقوا ال

أَفِق قَد أَفاقَ العاشِقونَ وَفارَقوا ال

هَوى وَاِستَمَرَّت بِالرجالِ المَرائِرُ

هَوى وَاِستَمَرَّت بِالرجالِ المَرائِرُ

Come to your senses: lovers have come to theirs and forsaken

The passionate have awakened and abandoned desire,

Passion, and men's resolves have grown firm.

Yet trickery persists among men,

وَهبها كَشَيءٍ لَم يَكُن أَو كَنازِحٍ

وَهبها كَشَيءٍ لَم يَكُن أَو كَنازِحٍ

بِهِ الدَارُ أَو مَن غَيّبَتهُ المَقابِرُ

بِهِ الدَارُ أَو مَن غَيّبَتهُ المَقابِرُ

And regard her as something that never was, or as one borne far away

Give her up as something that never was, or as one who has emigrated from the abode,

By his dwelling, or one whom the graves have hidden.

Or whom the tombs have hidden away.

أَمُنقَطِعٌ يا عَزَّ ما كانَ بَينَنا

أَمُنقَطِعٌ يا عَزَّ ما كانَ بَينَنا

وَشاجَرَني يا عَزَّ فيكِ الشَواجِرُ

وَشاجَرَني يا عَزَّ فيكِ الشَواجِرُ

Is what once lay between us severed, O ʿAzz?

Has it been severed, O Might, what was between us,

And troubles, O ʿAzz, have contended with me over you.

And, O Might, did misgivings about you arise in me?

إِذا قيلَ هَذي دارُ عَزَّةَ قادَني

إِذا قيلَ هَذي دارُ عَزَّةَ قادَني

إِليها الهَوى وَاِستَعجَلَتني البَوادِرُ

إِليها الهَوى وَاِستَعجَلَتني البَوادِرُ

When it is said, 'This is ʿAzza's house,' I am led

When it is said, "This is the abode of Might,"

To it by love, and sudden impulses hurry me onward.

Passion drives me to it, and the tidings hasten me,

أَصُدُّ وَبي الجُنونِ لِكَي يَرى

أَصُدُّ وَبي الجُنونِ لِكَي يَرى

رُواةُ الخَنا أَنِّي لِبَيتِكِ هاجِرُ

رُواةُ الخَنا أَنِّي لِبَيتِكِ هاجِرُ

I turn away, though madness grips me, so it may be seen

I feign madness, so that the talebearers may see

By the tellers of slander that I shun your house.

That I am bound for your abode as an emigrant,

فَيا عَزُّ لَيتَ النأَيَ إِذ حالَ بَينَنا

فَيا عَزُّ لَيتَ النأَيَ إِذ حالَ بَينَنا

وَبينَكِ باعَ الوِدَّ لي مِنكِ تاجِرُ

وَبينَكِ باعَ الوِدَّ لي مِنكِ تاجِرُ

So, O ʿAzz, would that distance, when it came between us

O Might, would that estrangement, when it came between us,

And you, were a merchant who sold me your love.

Had brought me your love for sale from you, O merchant!

وَأَنتِ الَّتي حَبَّبتِ كُلَّ قَصيرَةٍ

وَأَنتِ الَّتي حَبَّبتِ كُلَّ قَصيرَةٍ

إِليَّ وَما يَدري بِذاكَ القَصائِرُ

إِليَّ وَما يَدري بِذاكَ القَصائِرُ

And you are she who made every short woman dear

You it was who endeared to me every short woman,

To me, though the short women know nothing of it.

And the diminutive ones know nothing of that,

عَنَيتُ قَصيراتِ الحِجالِ وَلَم أُرِد

عَنَيتُ قَصيراتِ الحِجالِ وَلَم أُرِد

قِصارَ الخُطا شَرُّ النِساءِ البَحاتِرُ

قِصارَ الخُطا شَرُّ النِساءِ البَحاتِرُ

I meant those with low bridal canopies; I did not mean

I gave my attention to short-statured belles, and did not intend

Those short of stride—the worst of women are the squat ones.

The shortcoming of steps - evil are slanderous women!