ياO صاحبيmy two companions أطالmay He prolong اللَهGod رُشدكماyour right guidance, both of you
يا صاحبي أطال اللَه رُشدكما
عوجاturn aside, you two علىupon صدورthe chests الأبغلthe mules السننgoing straight ahead
عوجا على صدور الأبغل السنن
O my two companions, may God prolong your right guidance.
O my friend, may God prolong your guidance
Turn aside the chests of the straight-going mules.
Crooked over the chests of the saddled camels
ثمthen ارفعاraise, you two الطرفthe gaze هلdo? تبدوcome into view لناfor us ظعنٌwomen in camel litters
ثم ارفعا الطرف هل تبدو لنا ظعنٌ
بحائلٍat Ha'il ياO عناءanguish النفسthe soul منbecause of ظعنwomen in camel litters
بحائلٍ يا عناء النفس من ظعن
Then lift your gaze: do women in camel litters come into view for us
Then raise your eyes, do any camps appear to us
At Ha'il? Oh, the soul's anguish over those camel-borne women!
With tents, O fatigue of the soul from camps
أحببhow dear! بهنthey are, the women لوif only أنthat الدارthe dwelling جامعةٌbringing together
أحبب بهن لو أن الدار جامعةٌ
وبالبلادand the lands التيwhich يسكنthey, the women, inhabit منof وطنa homeland
وبالبلاد التي يسكن من وطن
How dear they are—if only one home brought us together!
Love them, even if the house were all-encompassing
And the lands they inhabit as their home.
And the countries in which one dwells as homeland
طوالعemerging الخلthe path between dunes منfrom تبراكTibrak مصعدةًheading upland
طوالع الخل من تبراك مصعدةً
كماas تتابعis followed قيدامٌa great ship منamong السفنthe ships
كما تتابع قيدامٌ من السفن
Emerging through the dune-path from Tibrak, heading upland,
The ships coming from Tabarak one after another
As ships follow a great vessel in succession.
Like a caravan of camels in a line
ياO ليتif only شعريmy knowing والأقدارand fate's decrees غالبةٌprevailing
يا ليت شعري والأقدار غالبةٌ
والعينand the eye تذرفsheds tears أحياناًsometimes منfrom الحزنsorrow
والعين تذرف أحياناً من الحزن
Oh, if only I knew—though fate prevails,
Oh how I wish, while fates prevail
And the eye sometimes sheds tears from sorrow—
And the eye sheds tears at times from sadness
هلwill? أجعلنI shall indeed make يديmy hand للخدfor the cheek مرفقةًa pillow
هل أجعلن يدي للخد مرفقةً
علىat شعبعبShaʿbaʿb بينbetween الحوضthe watering trough والعطنand the camels' resting place by water
على شعبعب بين الحوض والعطن
Will I ever make my hand a pillow for my cheek
Shall I rest my hand on a cheek
At Shaʿbaʿb, between the watering trough and the camels' resting ground?
On a hill between the pool and twisted valley