ما هامَ وجداً بالغُصونِ ولا القَنا

ما هامَ وجداً بالغُصونِ ولا القَنا

لَولا ادكارُ قُدودِ أهلِ المنحنَى

لَولا ادكارُ قُدودِ أهلِ المنحنَى

He would not have been mad with longing for boughs or spear-shafts,

Neither the branches nor the valleys could distract his passion,

But for recalling the figures of the people of al-Munhana.

Were it not for the memories of the curving waists of beautiful maidens.

كلاَّ ولولا عِينُ أعيُنِ سربِهِم

كلاَّ ولولا عِينُ أعيُنِ سربِهِم

ما اشتاقَ بالرَّملِ الغَزالَ الأَعينا

ما اشتاقَ بالرَّملِ الغَزالَ الأَعينا

No indeed! But for the wide eyes of their flock,

No, were it not for the gaze of the fairest among them,

He would not have yearned for the wide-eyed gazelle in the sands.

He would not have longed for the desert gazelle.

سَلبَتَهُ يومَ لِوى الُمحصَّبِ صَبرَهُ

سَلبَتَهُ يومَ لِوى الُمحصَّبِ صَبرَهُ

عِينٌ بَعثَنَ إِلى حَشاهُ الأَعينُا

عِينٌ بَعثَنَ إِلى حَشاهُ الأَعينُا

He was robbed of his patience that day at al-Muhassab's sand-bend

The day he turned away, it robbed him of his patience.

By wide-eyed beauties who sent their eyes into his heart.

A glance from her eyes dispatched his every glance to guard her.

لَولا لَواحِظُه لما حكمض الهوى

لَولا لَواحِظُه لما حكمض الهوى

يوماً عليهِ ولا تعلَّلَ بالُمنى

يوماً عليهِ ولا تعلَّلَ بالُمنى

But for his glances, love would never have ruled

Were it not for her glances, passion would not have burned him

Over him for a day, nor would he have sought solace in hopes.

Nor would he have pined for the beloved.

يا جيرَةٌ باتَ البُرَيقُ يَقُصُّ لي

يا جيرَةٌ باتَ البُرَيقُ يَقُصُّ لي

عَنُهم أَحاديثَ الأَبيرقِ مَوهِنا

عَنُهم أَحاديثَ الأَبيرقِ مَوهِنا

O neighbors, the little lightning-flash spent the night recounting to me

O neighbor, the lightning began recounting their tales,

Tales of al-Abayriq about them, late at night.

Of the passionate lover's whispers in the still night.

رقُّوا فقد رقَّ النَّسيمُ لِعاشِقٍ

رقُّوا فقد رقَّ النَّسيمُ لِعاشِقٍ

لم يجن إلاَّ الُمرِّ مِن حُلوِ الجَنى

لم يجن إلاَّ الُمرِّ مِن حُلوِ الجَنى

Be tender, for the breeze has shown tenderness to a lover

They were softened, for the breeze was softened for a lover

Who has reaped only bitterness from sweet fruit.

Who tasted naught but bitterness from the sweet association.

وَمُعربدِ الأَلحاظِ لولا فَترَةٌ

وَمُعربدِ الأَلحاظِ لولا فَترَةٌ

في جَفنِهِ فَتكَت لواحِظُه بِنا

في جَفنِهِ فَتكَت لواحِظُه بِنا

And one with riotous glances—were it not for languor

With languid glances, were it not for a respite

In his eyelid, his glances would have slain us.

In his eyes, her glances would have slain him.

أزرى بِسُمرِ اللَّحظِ عاملُ قَدِّهِ

أزرى بِسُمرِ اللَّحظِ عاملُ قَدِّهِ

وَأَذاقَ بِيضَ الهِندِ ناظرُهُ الضَّنى

وَأَذاقَ بِيضَ الهِندِ ناظرُهُ الضَّنى

The spear-shaft of his figure shamed the gaze's dark lances,

I blame the bronzed complexion of his cheek

And his eye made India's white swords taste wasting sickness.

And the one whose gaze made him taste sorrow white as camphor.

لَو قِستَ بالشَّمسِ الُمنيرةِ وَجهَهُ

لَو قِستَ بالشَّمسِ الُمنيرةِ وَجهَهُ

لَرأيتَ أَدنَى النَّيِّرينِ الأَحسنا

لَرأيتَ أَدنَى النَّيِّرينِ الأَحسنا

If you compared his face with the radiant sun,

If her face were weighed against the brilliant sun,

You would find the nearer of the two luminaries the more beautiful.

You would find the fairest of the radiant ones outshone.