ذَكَرَ المنازل والكثيبَ الأعفرا

ذَكَرَ المنازل والكثيبَ الأعفرا

فجرتْ محاجره عقيقاً أحمرا

فجرتْ محاجره عقيقاً أحمرا

He remembered the dwellings and the tawny sandhill.

He recalled the abodes and the sandy hill, yellow-white,

So his eye sockets streamed red agate.

So his tears flowed as red carnelian.

واشتاقَ داراً بالأثيل تُحلّهَا

واشتاقَ داراً بالأثيل تُحلّهَا

لَيلَى وخِدراً بالأثيل مخدّرا

لَيلَى وخِدراً بالأثيل مخدّرا

And he longed for a dwelling at al-Athil, where dwells

And he yearned for a house with a loved one to cheer him,

Layla, and for a secluded chamber at al-Athil.

Layla, and a pillow with a loved one to rest his head.

لا تعذليه إن تألّمَ واشتكى

لا تعذليه إن تألّمَ واشتكى

وأعَذُرْ فَحُقّ لمثِله أن يُعذرا

وأعَذُرْ فَحُقّ لمثِله أن يُعذرا

Do not reproach him if he suffers and complains.

Do not blame him if he suffered and complained,

And excuse him, for one like him deserves to be excused.

And excuse him, for one like him deserves to be excused.

نَسيُوه هل يَنْسى الصديق ونْ نأي

نَسيُوه هل يَنْسى الصديق ونْ نأي

هجروه ليسَ بواجب أن يُهْجرا

هجروه ليسَ بواجب أن يُهْجرا

They forgot him—can a friend be forgotten, even when far away?

Did they forget him? Can a friend forget if we are distant?

They deserted him; it is not right that he should be deserted.

They abandoned him, but it's not right that he should be abandoned.

مَا بي على ماء النخيل وشربه

مَا بي على ماء النخيل وشربه

منه ولكن دونها أُسْد الشرى

منه ولكن دونها أُسْد الشرى

My trouble is not over the water of al-Nakhil, or drinking

I have nothing against the water of the palm trees that they drank,

From it—but lions of al-Shara bar the way to her.

Except that it was less than their worth.

مَا لي أُحبُّ ظِبَاء عامِر ما بهم

مَا لي أُحبُّ ظِبَاء عامِر ما بهم

ما بي ولا يدرون بي وبمن درى

ما بي ولا يدرون بي وبمن درى

Why do I love the gazelles of Amir? They do not feel

Why should I love the antelope of prosperous Aamir? In them

What I feel, nor know of me or of whoever knows.

Is nothing of me, nor do they know of me or whom I know.

حَكم الهوىَ لعيونهم ان يرقدوا

حَكم الهوىَ لعيونهم ان يرقدوا

ومَضى الغرام لمقلتي ان تسهرا

ومَضى الغرام لمقلتي ان تسهرا

Love decreed that their eyes should sleep.

Passion has decreed that they sleep,

And longing had its way: my eye must keep vigil.

And desire has decreed that my eyelids stay awake.

بين الترائب والذوائب والمُقا

بين الترائب والذوائب والمُقا

حُسُنٌ تُباع به النفوسُ ويُشْتَرى

حُسُنٌ تُباع به النفوسُ ويُشْتَرى

Between the collarbones, the tresses, and the corners of the eyes

Among the hilltops, the hillsides, and the meadows

Lies beauty for which souls are sold, and which is bought.

Is a beauty for which souls are sold and bought.

أجِمالَ دَاعرِ في المكابرة الحمى

أجِمالَ دَاعرِ في المكابرة الحمى

حِلّيْ وإنتجعي الحَلاَلَ الأكثرا

حِلّيْ وإنتجعي الحَلاَلَ الأكثرا

O camels of Da'ir, amid contention over the protected pasture,

The cheeks of a gazelle, arrogant in refusal,

Alight, and seek the more abundant, lawful pasture.

My trinkets, though you seek the greater share of permitted things.

لا تنزلي دون الحسامِ بمنزلِ

لا تنزلي دون الحسامِ بمنزلِ

فالصيدُ كلّ الصيد في جواف الفراء

فالصيدُ كلّ الصيد في جواف الفراء

Do not alight at any dwelling short of the Sword;

Do not camp anywhere short of the sword,

For the game—all the game—is in the wild ass's belly.

For the hunt is entirely in the bosom of the wide plain.

هذا مُعيبدُ سيف ال معيبد

هذا مُعيبدُ سيف ال معيبد

فيما شهدت وهذه أمُّ القرى

فيما شهدت وهذه أمُّ القرى

This is Mu'aybid, the sword of the house of Mu'aybid,

This is Mu'ayyad, the sword of Mu'ayyad,

As I have witnessed—and this is Umm al-Qura, the Mother of Towns.

Regarding what it has witnessed, and this is the mother of towns.