شُبَّwas kindled بِالعالِat al-ʿAl مِنfrom كَثيرَةَKathira نارُa fire
شُبَّ بِالعالِ مِن كَثيرَةَ نارُ
شَوَّقَتناit stirred our longing وَأَينَand where مِنّاfrom us المَزارُthe place of meeting
شَوَّقَتنا وَأَينَ مِنّا المَزارُ
A fire from Kathira was kindled at al-ʿAl.
The campfire was kindled with musk and ambergris
It stirred our longing—yet how far from us is the place of meeting!
By a girl whose skirt was too tight
أَوقَدَتهاshe kindled it بِالمِسكِwith musk وَالعَنبَرِand ambergris الرَطmoist (first part)
أَوقَدَتها بِالمِسكِ وَالعَنبَرِ الرَط
بِcompletion of 'moist' فَتاةٌa maiden قَدalready ضاقَhas grown too tight عَنهاfor her الإِزارُthe waist-wrap
بِ فَتاةٌ قَد ضاقَ عَنها الإِزارُ
She kindled it with musk and moist ambergris—
It aroused our longing, but where can we get to it?
a maiden whose waist-wrap has grown too tight for her.
It was scented with Byzantine perfume
تَتَّقيshe shields herself بِالحَريرِwith silk مِنfrom وَهَجِthe blaze of الشَمthe sun (first part)
تَتَّقي بِالحَريرِ مِن وَهَجِ الشَم
سِcompletion of 'the sun' وَخَزِّand silk-and-wool cloth العِراقِof Iraq وَالأَستارِand curtains
سِ وَخَزِّ العِراقِ وَالأَستارِ
She shields herself with silk from the sun's blaze,
She has an abode in Al-Kufa
and with Iraqi silk-and-wool cloth and curtains.
You could see her if you wish from afar
بِعُقَيرِat ʿUqayr الرومِيِّal-Rumi مِنهاof hers مَحَلٌّa dwelling
بِعُقَيرِ الرومِيِّ مِنها مَحَلٌّ
وَلَهاand she has بِالكُوَيفَتَينِat al-Kuwayfatayn دِيارُdwellings
وَلَها بِالكُوَيفَتَينِ دِيارُ
At ʿUqayr al-Rumi she has a dwelling,
Her coquetry would spare you her secrets
and she has homes at al-Kuwayfatayn.
That is a fire whose teeth shone
قَدmay تَراهاyou see her وَلَوand if تَشاءُyou wish مِنَfrom القُرnearness (first part)
قَد تَراها وَلَو تَشاءُ مِنَ القُر
بِcompletion of 'nearness' لَأَغناكَwould surely spare you عَنthe need for نَداهاcalling to her السِرارُwhispering
بِ لَأَغناكَ عَن نَداها السِرارُ
You may see her; and if you wished, with her so near,
For a lover who has a house in Yathrib
whispering would spare you the need to call out to her.
It reminded me of the oath of the Prophet which I learned
تِلكَthat نارٌa fire لَهاof hers أَضاءَshone سَناهاits radiance
تِلكَ نارٌ لَها أَضاءَ سَناها
لِمُحِبٍّfor a lover لَهُhe has بِيَثرِبَin Yathrib دارُa home
لِمُحِبٍّ لَهُ بِيَثرِبَ دارُ
That is her fire, whose radiance shone
And her oath and the oath of the Helpers
for a lover whose home is in Yathrib.
I did not betray her, so do not seek redemption from me
ذَكَّرَتنيshe reminded me حِلفَthe pact of النَبِيِّthe Prophet وَقَدand indeed تَعknow (first part)
ذَكَّرَتني حِلفَ النَبِيِّ وَقَد تَع
لَمُcompletion of 'know' حِلفيmy pact وَحِلفَهاand her pact الأَنصارُthe Ansar
لَمُ حِلفي وَحِلفَها الأَنصارُ
She reminded me of the Prophet's pact; and indeed,
At Dhu Al-Dhahal, redemption is sought
the Ansar know my pact and hers.
Set me free since you possessed me, then release
لَمdid not أَخُنهاI betray her فَتَطلُبَso she would seek الوِترَvengeance مِنّيfrom me
لَم أَخُنها فَتَطلُبَ الوِترَ مِنّي
عِندَwith ذيone who bears الذَحلِa grievance تُطلَبُare sought الأَوتارُreprisals
عِندَ ذي الذَحلِ تُطلَبُ الأَوتارُ
I have not betrayed her, that she should seek vengeance from me.
A captive, helpless, shackled in chains
Where one bears a grievance, vengeance is sought.
أَطلِقيrelease me إِذsince مَلَكتِنيyou have possessed me ثُمَّthen فُكّيloosen
أَطلِقي إِذ مَلَكتِني ثُمَّ فُكّي
عَنfrom أَسيرٍa captive عانٍin thrall بَراهُhas wasted him away الإِسارُbondage
عَن أَسيرٍ عانٍ بَراهُ الإِسارُ
Set me free, since you own me; then loose the bonds
from a captive in thrall whom bondage has worn thin.
Partial English translation: 15 of 18 Arabic lines translated.