أراح أهيل موذية النياقا

أراح أهيل موذية النياقا

كأن فريقهم عزموا الفراقا

كأن فريقهم عزموا الفراقا

Mudhiyah's little clan brought the she-camels in at dusk,

The dwellings of Mudhiya have become tranquil

as though their band had resolved to depart.

As if their people had decided to depart

فبتُّ أسامر النَّسرينِ هّماً

فبتُّ أسامر النَّسرينِ هّماً

ودمعُ العينِ يندفق اندفاقا

ودمعُ العينِ يندفق اندفاقا

So I spent the night in sorrow, conversing with the two Eagle stars,

So I passed the night distressed, my tears overflowing

and tears from my eyes streamed in torrents.

As the bonds of companionship came undone

وباتوا يحدُجونَ محبَّساتٍ

وباتوا يحدُجونَ محبَّساتٍ

ذعاليباً مواجيفا دِفاقا

ذعاليباً مواجيفا دِفاقا

And all night they fitted howdahs to tethered she-camels,

They began to wander, searching

fleet, quick-trotting, swift of stride,

For new homes, wandering far afield

على رأي امريء قد ساءَ ظناً

على رأي امريء قد ساءَ ظناً

وأكمى في الضميرِ لنا شقِاقا

وأكمى في الضميرِ لنا شقِاقا

following the counsel of a man of evil suspicion,

Due to the ill opinion of a man

who concealed hostility toward us within his heart.

Whose distrust had sown discord among us

عفى عصراً وغيَّره سَوافٍ

عفى عصراً وغيَّره سَوافٍ

تُعاوره اصطباحاً واغتباقا

تُعاوره اصطباحاً واغتباقا

It had long been effaced, and sand-bearing winds changed it,

Time passed and was transformed by fate

assailing it by turns, morning and evening.

Bringing mornings and evenings in succession

أراقَ دمي فقالَ زميلُ رَحلي

أراقَ دمي فقالَ زميلُ رَحلي

أيدري الرّبعُ أيَّ دَمٍ أراقا

أيدري الرّبعُ أيَّ دَمٍ أراقا

It spilled my blood, and my traveling companion said:

My blood was shed and so my companion asked

Does the campsite know what blood it spilled?

Does the land know whose blood has flowed?

وفي الأحداجِ آرامٌ وعينٌ

وفي الأحداجِ آرامٌ وعينٌ

تُسارقنا النّصالَ به استراقا

تُسارقنا النّصالَ به استراقا

And in the howdahs are white gazelles and wide-eyed beauties,

In the ruins there is rest, and an eye

furtively stealing arrow-sharp glances at us there.

That steals glances furtively by its light

بَرارةُ كالبُدور تضيئٌ نوراً

بَرارةُ كالبُدور تضيئٌ نوراً

ولكن لا تخافُ به مَحاقا

ولكن لا تخافُ به مَحاقا

Bararah shines with light like the full moons,

Like lanterns, its embers glow

yet in that light she fears no waning.

But do not fear their flames

وموذيةٌ تفوقُ الكلَّ حُسناً

وموذيةٌ تفوقُ الكلَّ حُسناً

ووجهاً فاقَ منظره ورَاقا

ووجهاً فاقَ منظره ورَاقا

And Mudhiyah surpasses them all in beauty,

And Mudhiya surpasses all in beauty

and in countenance, with looks that excel and enchant.

With a face that excels in radiance and grace

شَموعٌ طَفْلةٌ خَوْدٌ رَدَاحٌ

شَموعٌ طَفْلةٌ خَوْدٌ رَدَاحٌ

شكى خِلخالُها غَرَقا وضاقا

شكى خِلخالُها غَرَقا وضاقا

Playful, tender-skinned, a young beauty, full-hipped,

She is a slender-waisted gazelle, whose anklets

her anklet complained of drowning and grew tight.

Complained of sinking and confinement

عفَت أطلالُ موذيةٍ سنيناً

عفَت أطلالُ موذيةٍ سنيناً

وطافَ بها السَّرابُ معاً وحاقا

وطافَ بها السَّرابُ معاً وحاقا

Mudhiyah's ruins have faded over the years,

The ruins of Mudhiya have been desolate for years

and the mirage circled them and enveloped them all at once.

And mirages have wandered confused among them

وحالفها البِلى والمَحْلُ حتى

وحالفها البِلى والمَحْلُ حتى

خشيتُ على معالمها احتراقا

خشيتُ على معالمها احتراقا

And decay and drought allied themselves with them, until

Time and desolation have conspired against her

I feared their landmarks would be burned away.

I feared her features would go up in flames

فإن بخلَ الغَمامُ ولم يُجدها

فإن بخلَ الغَمامُ ولم يُجدها

سقيتُ رسومها الدمعَ المُراقا

سقيتُ رسومها الدمعَ المُراقا

So if the clouds begrudge rain and do not water them,

If the clouds refuse to rain upon her

I shall water their traces with tears poured forth.

I will water her traces with my copious tears

ويا هل شِمْتَ بَرقاً مرَّ وَهْناً

ويا هل شِمْتَ بَرقاً مرَّ وَهْناً

يؤمُّ جبالَ رامة والبُراقا

يؤمُّ جبالَ رامة والبُراقا

And oh, did you watch lightning pass late at night,

O you who have sensed a gentle lightning flash

heading toward Ramah's mountains and al-Buraq?

Illuminating the mountains of Rama and Al-Buraaq

أرِقت له وهوَّمَ عنه صحبي

أرِقت له وهوَّمَ عنه صحبي

فهيَّجَ موهناً وجدي وشَاقا

فهيَّجَ موهناً وجدي وشَاقا

I lay awake because of it while my companions dozed, heedless of it.

I was sleepless, while my companions ridiculed me

So, late at night, it stirred my passion and made me yearn.

Stirring my love and tormenting me

أرقت أشيمه وأميل شوقاً

أرقت أشيمه وأميل شوقاً

إليه وباتَ يأتلقُ ائتلاقا

إليه وباتَ يأتلقُ ائتلاقا

I lay awake watching it, leaning in longing

I was sleepless, inclined toward passionate longing

toward it, while it flashed brilliantly all night.

While the flashes of lightning danced playfully

ذكرت به لموذيةَ ابتسماً

ذكرت به لموذيةَ ابتسماً

إذا ما الوَصل حَقَّ لنا عِناقا

إذا ما الوَصل حَقَّ لنا عِناقا

Through it I remembered a smile of Mudhiyah's,

When I remembered him, Mudhiya smiled

when union was fulfilled for us in an embrace.

If we are to be reunited, let us share an embrace

سلاٌم ترفض الأحشاءُ منه

سلاٌم ترفض الأحشاءُ منه

عليها ماحدا حادٍ وساقا

عليها ماحدا حادٍ وساقا

May peace that melts the heart within

Greetings that my heart rejects because no friend

be upon her, as long as a camel-driver chants and drives.

Has ever been loyal, nor walked a straight path