أَلا بَلَّغ هُديتَ سَماةَ قَومي

أَلا بَلَّغ هُديتَ سَماةَ قَومي

بِحِلَّةِ بابِلٍ عِندَ الوُرودِ

بِحِلَّةِ بابِلٍ عِندَ الوُرودِ

Listen: tell—may you be guided—the nobles of my people

Deliver thou my greeting to the chiefs of my people

in Hilla of Babylon, upon your arrival:

In robes of Babylon when the trysting-time comes round;

أَلا لا تَشغَلوا قَلباً لِبُعدي

أَلا لا تَشغَلوا قَلباً لِبُعدي

فَإِنّي كُلَّ يَومٍ في مَزيدِ

فَإِنّي كُلَّ يَومٍ في مَزيدِ

Listen: do not trouble any heart over my absence,

Yet distract ye no heart for my absence, I pray,

for every day I enjoy greater abundance,

For each day I am gaining in might and renown.

لِأَنّي قَد حَلَلتُ حِمى مُلوكٍ

لِأَنّي قَد حَلَلتُ حِمى مُلوكٍ

رُبوعُ عَبيدِهِم كَهفُ الطَريدِ

رُبوعُ عَبيدِهِم كَهفُ الطَريدِ

because I have settled in the protected domain of kings,

The precincts forbidden to commoner tread

whose slaves' dwellings are a cave of refuge for the fugitive.

I have pierced, of the kings and their minions the crowd,

فَمَن يَكُ نازِلاً بِحِمى كُلَيبٍ

فَمَن يَكُ نازِلاً بِحِمى كُلَيبٍ

فَإِنّي قَد نَزَلتُ حِمى الأُسودِ

فَإِنّي قَد نَزَلتُ حِمى الأُسودِ

So whoever may dwell in Kulayb's protected domain,

And if Kulaib's marches shall give me harbour and bread,

I, for my part, have settled in the protected domain of lions.

Yet Uswud's fair border my steps shall enshroud.