حَضَرَ الرَحيلُ وَشُدَّتِ الأَحداجُ

حَضَرَ الرَحيلُ وَشُدَّتِ الأَحداجُ

وَغَدا بِهِنَّ مُشَمِّرٌ مِزعاجُ

وَغَدا بِهِنَّ مُشَمِّرٌ مِزعاجُ

Departure has come, and the camel-litters are strapped on.

The departure came, the burdens were heavy

The time of departure has come, and the camel-litters are fastened,

And an energetic, hard-driving man set out with them at dawn.

And with them went one troubled and restless

And at dawn, a brisk and rousing driver set out with them.

لِلشَّوقِ نيرانٌ قَدَحنَ بِقَلبِهِ

لِلشَّوقِ نيرانٌ قَدَحنَ بِقَلبِهِ

حَتّى اِستَمَرَّ بِهِ الهَوى المِلجاجُ

حَتّى اِستَمَرَّ بِهِ الهَوى المِلجاجُ

Longing's fires have struck sparks within his heart,

For longing there were fires kindled in his heart

Longing has fires that have struck sparks within his heart,

Until unrelenting passion swept him away.

So that passionate love persevered within him

Until a stubborn passion took hold and carried him along.

أَزعِج هَواكَ إِلى الَّذينَ تُحِبُّهُم

أَزعِج هَواكَ إِلى الَّذينَ تُحِبُّهُم

إِنَّ المُحِبَّ يَسوقُهُ الإِزعاجُ

إِنَّ المُحِبَّ يَسوقُهُ الإِزعاجُ

Urge your passion toward those you love;

Disturb your loved ones with your passion

Stir up your passion toward those whom you love,

Indeed, restlessness drives the lover onward.

For a lover is led by disquietude

For the lover is truly driven by such stirring.

لَن يُدنِيَّنكَ لِلحَبيبِ وَوَصلِهِ

لَن يُدنِيَّنكَ لِلحَبيبِ وَوَصلِهِ

إِلا السُرى وَالبازِلُ الهَجهاجُ

إِلا السُرى وَالبازِلُ الهَجهاجُ

Nothing will bring you near the beloved and union with him

Only the sleepless and wakeful night

Nothing will bring you near the beloved and union,

Except night travel and a swift, full-grown camel.

Can bring you close to the beloved and union with him

Save for the night-journey and the strong, bellowing camel.

إِنَّ المَنايا في السُيوفِ كَوامِنٌ

إِنَّ المَنايا في السُيوفِ كَوامِنٌ

حَتّى يُهَيِّجَها فَتىً هَيّاجُ

حَتّى يُهَيِّجَها فَتىً هَيّاجُ

Indeed, deaths lie hidden in swords,

In swords there lies death in waiting

Indeed, deaths lie hidden within the swords,

Until a fierce young man rouses them.

Until a bold youth awakens and stirs it

Until a fierce youth awakens them to fury.

وَمَدجَجٍ يَغشى المَضيقَ بِسَيفِهِ

وَمَدجَجٍ يَغشى المَضيقَ بِسَيفِهِ

حَتّى يَكونَ بِسَيفِهِ الإِفراجُ

حَتّى يَكونَ بِسَيفِهِ الإِفراجُ

And many an armored man enters the narrow pass with his sword,

And an armed man bars the pass with his sword

And a heavily armed warrior storms the narrows with his blade,

Until his sword opens a way through.

Until with his sword he makes an opening

Until, by his sword, a breakthrough is won.

نَزَلَت نُجومُ اللَيلِ فَوقَ رُؤوسِهِم

نَزَلَت نُجومُ اللَيلِ فَوقَ رُؤوسِهِم

وَلِكُلِّ قَومٍ كَوكَبٌ وَهّاجُ

وَلِكُلِّ قَومٍ كَوكَبٌ وَهّاجُ

The stars of night descended above their heads,

The stars of night descended over their heads

The stars of the night have descended upon their heads,

And every people has a blazing star.

And for every people there was an inspiring star

And every people has a star that glows.

شَرِبَت بِمَكَّةَ في ذُرى بَطحائِها

شَرِبَت بِمَكَّةَ في ذُرى بَطحائِها

ماءَ النُبُوَّةِ لَيسَ فيهِ مِزاجُ

ماءَ النُبُوَّةِ لَيسَ فيهِ مِزاجُ

They drank in Mecca, on the heights of its pebbly valley,

He drank in Mecca, in its sandy valley

She drank in Mecca, upon the heights of its valley,

The water of prophethood, with nothing mixed into it.

The water of prophethood without adulteration

The water of Prophecy, pure and unmixed.