قلsay لقومٍto a people لاnot أُباليI care
قل لقومٍ لا أُبالي
فيهمُamong them مَنwho ذاthis one ألومُI blame
فيهمُ مَن ذا ألومُ
Tell a people: I do not care
Tell those whom I do not care
Whom among them I blame.
Among them who should I blame
رحلواthey departed نجداًfor Najd وقلبيand my heart
رحلوا نجداً وقلبي
فيin ثرىsoil نجدٍNajd مقيمُdwelling
في ثرى نجدٍ مقيمُ
They departed for Najd, while my heart
They traveled to Najd while my heart
Dwells in the soil of Najd.
Remains in the soil of enduring Najd
أنَاI وحديby myself دائمٌconstant وَجْlonging (first fragment)
أنَا وحدي دائمٌ وَجْ
داًlonging (final fragment) بمنfor one who ليسis not يدومُendures
داً بمن ليس يدومُ
I alone am constant in longing
I alone remain constantly loyal
For one who does not remain.
To one who does not last
إنّindeed منwhoever يسلفlends فيin الحبlove (first fragment)
إنّ من يسلف في الحب
بِlove (final fragment) ولاand not يقضيis repaid كريمُgenerous
بِ ولا يقضي كريمُ
Indeed, whoever lends in love
Indeed, he who takes a loan of love
And goes unrepaid is generous.
And does not repay is generous
قلsay لمنto whoever يعذلreproaches دعْleave off عَذْreproaching (first fragment)
قل لمن يعذل دعْ عَذْ
لِيَme (completes عَذْلِيَ) فالخَطْبُfor the plight جسيمُgrave
لِيَ فالخَطْبُ جسيمُ
Tell whoever reproaches me: stop reproaching
Tell those who blame me, leave your blame
Me, for the plight is grave.
For the matter is grave
ماnot اِستوىwere equal منكof you ومنand of قلْheart (first fragment)
ما اِستوى منك ومن قلْ
بيmy heart (final fragment) صحيحٌsound وسليمُand stricken (snake-bitten)
بي صحيحٌ وسليمُ
You and my heart are not alike:
There is no equality between you and my heart
One sound, the other stricken.
Which is sound and intact