أحلامdreams واديvalley (Wadi) السيرal-Sir (place name) كانwas يحدهاbounding them
أحلام وادي السير كان يحدها
حبيكmy love for you منfrom خلفيbehind me ومنand from قداميbefore me
حبيك من خلفي ومن قدامي
The dreams of Wadi al-Sir were bounded
by my love for you, behind me and before me.
وظباءand the gazelles واديvalley (Wadi) السيرal-Sir (place name) كانwas شعارهاtheir emblem
وظباء وادي السير كان شعارها
شوقيmy longing وظلand the shadow حنينهits yearning المتراميfar-spreading
شوقي وظل حنينه المترامي
And the gazelles of Wadi al-Sir had as their emblem
my longing and the far-spreading shadow of its yearning.
واليومand today قدalready عاثwrought havoc المشيبgray hair بمفرقيat my hair's parting
واليوم قد عاث المشيب بمفرقي
وتحكمتand held sway أضواؤهits lights بظلاميover my darkness
وتحكمت أضواؤه بظلامي
And today gray hair has ravaged my crown,
and its lights have held sway over my darkness.