أَأَعقَرَ مَن جَرّا كَريمَةَ ناقَتي

أَأَعقَرَ مَن جَرّا كَريمَةَ ناقَتي

وَوَصلِيَ مَفروشٌ لِوَصلِ مُنازِلِ

وَوَصلِيَ مَفروشٌ لِوَصلِ مُنازِلِ

Shall I hamstring my she-camel for Karīmah’s sake,

Did he who dragged away my noble she-camel maim her,

while my love is spread like a carpet for Munāzil’s love?

While my abode was spacious for the guest's repose?

إِذا جاءَ قَعقَعنَ الحُلِيَّ وَلَم أَكُن

إِذا جاءَ قَعقَعنَ الحُلِيَّ وَلَم أَكُن

إِذا جِئتُ أَرضي صَوتَ تِلكَ الخَلاخِلِ

إِذا جِئتُ أَرضي صَوتَ تِلكَ الخَلاخِلِ

When he comes, they rattle their jewelry; yet I cannot,

When the anklets were excited I was not

when I come, coax a sound from those anklets.

At peace, while ceaselessly called those anklets.

وَلَم تُغنِ سيجانُ العِراقَينِ نَقرَةً

وَلَم تُغنِ سيجانُ العِراقَينِ نَقرَةً

وَرُقشُ القَلَنسى بِالرِجالِ الأَطاوِلِ

وَرُقشُ القَلَنسى بِالرِجالِ الأَطاوِلِ

Nor did the cloaks of the two Iraqs avail a whit,

The milch-camels of Iraq were not soothed by the tinkling,

nor the patterned caps on the men of great stature.

And the men tall in stature by (the clashing) of the qalansuwa.

وَلَم تُغنِ عَنّي بُردَتي وَتَجَمُّلي

وَلَم تُغنِ عَنّي بُردَتي وَتَجَمُّلي

وَقَومي وَنَسلي مِن كِرامٍ أَفاضِلِ

وَقَومي وَنَسلي مِن كِرامٍ أَفاضِلِ

Nor did my mantle and my finery avail me,

My cloak and fair display give me no joy,

nor my clan and my descent from noble, distinguished men.

Nor my people and family, noble and glorious.

مَتى ما اِنتَضَلنا بِالسِهامِ نَضَلتُهُ

مَتى ما اِنتَضَلنا بِالسِهامِ نَضَلتُهُ

وَإِن نَرمِ رَشقاً عِندَها فَهوَ ناضِلي

وَإِن نَرمِ رَشقاً عِندَها فَهوَ ناضِلي

Whenever we compete with arrows, I outshoot him;

Whenever we vie with them in shooting our arrows hit the target,

but if we shoot a round in her presence, he outshoots me.

And if we hurl a pebble at it, it is one right on the mark.

وَإِنِّيَ مِن إِعراضِها مُتَأَلِّمٌ

وَإِنِّيَ مِن إِعراضِها مُتَأَلِّمٌ

قَليلُ العَزا وَالصَدُّ لا شَكَّ قاتِلي

قَليلُ العَزا وَالصَدُّ لا شَكَّ قاتِلي

And I am pained by her turning away,

Yet I grieve that she turns away,

with little solace; her rejection will surely kill me.

Little care have I for life - death will surely find me.