سَأَتكَ وَقَد أَجَدَّ بِها البُكورُ

سَأَتكَ وَقَد أَجَدَّ بِها البُكورُ

غَداةَ البَينِ مِن أَسماءَ عيرُ

غَداةَ البَينِ مِن أَسماءَ عيرُ

You were grieved, as the early start hurried it onward,

I yearned for her when dawn's first light appeared

by a caravan on the morning of parting from Asma.

On the day we parted, names of place unclear

إِذا شَرِبَت بِبَيدَحَ فَاِستَمَرَّت

إِذا شَرِبَت بِبَيدَحَ فَاِستَمَرَّت

ظَعائِنُها عَلى الأَنهابِ زورُ

ظَعائِنُها عَلى الأَنهابِ زورُ

When it drank at Baydah, then onward went

When she drank from Baydah, she lingered on

its women in howdahs, veering across al-Anhab.

Her camels grazing by each watering weir

كَأَنَّ حُمولَها بِمَلا تَريمٍ

كَأَنَّ حُمولَها بِمَلا تَريمٍ

سَفينٌ بِالشُعَيبَةِ ما تَسيرُ

سَفينٌ بِالشُعَيبَةِ ما تَسيرُ

Its laden camels on Tarim’s plain seemed

Their loads like ships that cannot steer

like ships at al-Shu‘aybah as they sailed,

Past craggy Shaybah on the left draw near

قَوارِضُ هُضبِ شابَةَ عَن يَسارٍ

قَوارِضُ هُضبِ شابَةَ عَن يَسارٍ

وَعَن أَيمانِها بِالمَحوِ قورُ

وَعَن أَيمانِها بِالمَحوِ قورُ

skirting Shabah’s rocky heights on their left,

And rocky outcrops block the way, right here

with flat-topped hills at al-Mahw on their right.

You'll not forget, though longing will increase

فَلَستَ بِزائِلٍ تَزدادُ شَوقاً

فَلَستَ بِزائِلٍ تَزدادُ شَوقاً

إِلى أَسماءَ ما سَمَرَ السَميرُ

إِلى أَسماءَ ما سَمَرَ السَميرُ

So you will never cease to grow in longing

For names and days when we would persevere

for Asma, as long as companions converse by night.

Can you forget when you bid her farewell

أَتَنسى إِذ تُوَدِّعُ وَهيَ بادٍ

أَتَنسى إِذ تُوَدِّعُ وَهيَ بادٍ

مُقَلَّدُها كَما بَرَقَ الصَبيرُ

مُقَلَّدُها كَما بَرَقَ الصَبيرُ

Can you forget when you bade farewell, with her bare

Adorned as with lightning's brilliant flare?

neck gleaming like a cloudbank’s lightning,

Our tryst with her is in 'Ufayriyat

وَمَحبِسُنا لَها بِعُفارِياتٍ

وَمَحبِسُنا لَها بِعُفارِياتٍ

لِيَجمَعَنا وَفاطِمَةَ المَسيرُ

لِيَجمَعَنا وَفاطِمَةَ المَسيرُ

and our halt for her at ‘Ufariyat,

That fate may let us three convene there

so that the journey might bring us and Fatimah together?