ذِكَرُ الرَبابِ وَكانَ قَد هَجَرا

ذِكَرُ الرَبابِ وَكانَ قَد هَجَرا

ذِكرى قُرَيبَةَ أَحدَثَت وَطَرا

ذِكرى قُرَيبَةَ أَحدَثَت وَطَرا

Memories of al-Rabab—he had already forsaken

The mention of the rabab though abandoned

the memory of Quraybah—awakened desire.

Brought up memories of one held dear

وَلَها بِأَعلى الخَيفِ مَنزِلَةٌ

وَلَها بِأَعلى الخَيفِ مَنزِلَةٌ

هاجَت لَهُ شَوقاً فَما صَبَرا

هاجَت لَهُ شَوقاً فَما صَبَرا

And she had a dwelling in upper al-Khayf;

In the most exalted spot it had its place

it stirred longing in him, and he could not endure.

For him in yearning unrestrained it stirred

وَالبُردُ بَينَ الجُلَّتَينِ بِهِ

وَالبُردُ بَينَ الجُلَّتَينِ بِهِ

تَجتَنُّ مِمَّن طافَ أَو نَظَرا

تَجتَنُّ مِمَّن طافَ أَو نَظَرا

And the striped cloak between the two great trees—with it

Between garments two, the cold with him

she concealed herself from anyone who passed or looked.

From all who roamed around, it hid with care

قالَت لِتِربَيها بِعَمرِكُما

قالَت لِتِربَيها بِعَمرِكُما

هَل تَطمَعانِ بِأَن نَرى عُمَرا

هَل تَطمَعانِ بِأَن نَرى عُمَرا

She said to her two companions, “By your lives,

To both her friends, she said, for your lives

do you two hope that we shall see Umar?

Can you hope that we will Umar see?

إِنّي كَأَنَّ النَفسَ موجِسَةٌ

إِنّي كَأَنَّ النَفسَ موجِسَةٌ

وَلِذاكَ أَطمَعُ أَنَّهُ حَضَرا

وَلِذاكَ أَطمَعُ أَنَّهُ حَضَرا

I feel as though my soul has a presentiment,

My soul seems to sense that he draws near

and so I hope that he has come.”

And so for him I pine, hoping he's here

فَأَجابَتاها في مُهازَلَةٍ

فَأَجابَتاها في مُهازَلَةٍ

وَأَسَرَّتا مِن قَولِها سَخَرا

وَأَسَرَّتا مِن قَولِها سَخَرا

Then the two answered her in jest,

In jest they answered her, and at her words

and concealed their mockery of her words:

Mockingly laughed, amusement bare

إِنّا لَعَمرُكِ ما نَخافُ وَما

إِنّا لَعَمرُكِ ما نَخافُ وَما

نَرجو زِيارَةَ زائِرٍ ظُهُرا

نَرجو زِيارَةَ زائِرٍ ظُهُرا

“Indeed, by your life, we neither fear nor

By your life, we fear not, nor hope

hope for a visitor to call at noon.

A visitor's arrival, not now, not e'er

لَو كانَ يَأتينا مُجاهَرَةً

لَو كانَ يَأتينا مُجاهَرَةً

فيمَن تَرَينَ إِذاً لَقَد شُهِرا

فيمَن تَرَينَ إِذاً لَقَد شُهِرا

If he were to come to us openly,

If he came openly, who would you see?

among those you see, he would surely become known.”

Then spread wide his name, no shame or fear

قالَت لَها الصُغرى وَقَد حَلَفَت

قالَت لَها الصُغرى وَقَد حَلَفَت

بِاللَهِ لا يَأتيكُما شَهرا

بِاللَهِ لا يَأتيكُما شَهرا

The younger one said to her, swearing,

The younger said, swearing by God's name

“By God, he will not come to you two for a month.”

A month he will not come, have no care

فَتَنَفَّسَت صَعَداً لِحِلفَتِها

فَتَنَفَّسَت صَعَداً لِحِلفَتِها

وَهَوَت فَشَقَّت جَيبَها فَطرا

وَهَوَت فَشَقَّت جَيبَها فَطرا

Then she heaved a deep sigh at her oath,

Upwards she sighed at her oath so strong

and fell, ripping open the bosom of her dress.

And plunged, her garment torn side to flare

وَجَرَت مَآقيها بِأَدمُعِها

وَجَرَت مَآقيها بِأَدمُعِها

جَزَعاً وَقالَت حُبَّ مَن ذُكِرا

جَزَعاً وَقالَت حُبَّ مَن ذُكِرا

And her eye-corners streamed with tears,

With tears flowing, her misfortune she told

in anguish; and for love of the one named she said:

For love of the mentioned, grief laid bare

يا رَبِّ إِنّي قَد شُغِفتُ بِهِ

يا رَبِّ إِنّي قَد شُغِفتُ بِهِ

أَعقِب فُؤادي مِنهُمُ صَبرا

أَعقِب فُؤادي مِنهُمُ صَبرا

“O my Lord, I have been consumed with love for him;

O Lord, for him I pine, follow my heart

grant my heart patience in place of them.”

With patience from them, I cannot bear

بَينا تُحاوِرُهُنَّ قُمتُ إِلى

بَينا تُحاوِرُهُنَّ قُمتُ إِلى

أَقفائِهِنَّ لِأَسمَعَ الحَورا

أَقفائِهِنَّ لِأَسمَعَ الحَورا

While she was conversing with them, I rose and went

While speaking to them, I came up behind

behind them to hear their exchange.

To hear their talk, a welcome snare

فَأَرابَ إِحداهُنَّ فَاِلتَفَتَت

فَأَرابَ إِحداهُنَّ فَاِلتَفَتَت

وَطئي فَلَمّا أَثبَتَت نَظَرا

وَطئي فَلَمّا أَثبَتَت نَظَرا

Then one of them grew uneasy and turned

I startled one, she turned, when her gaze met mine

at my footfall; when she looked closely,

To the others she said, an open brother's here

قالَت لَهُنَّ أَخو مُجاهَرَةٍ

قالَت لَهُنَّ أَخو مُجاهَرَةٍ

قَد جاءَنا يَمشي وَما اِستَتَرا

قَد جاءَنا يَمشي وَما اِستَتَرا

she said to them, “A man who acts openly

Amongst them a cheek I'll ne'er forget

has come walking to us, without hiding.”

Until my grave meets its gravemate near

فيهِنَّ خَودٌ لَستُ ناسِيَها

فيهِنَّ خَودٌ لَستُ ناسِيَها

حَتّى تُجاوِرَ حُفرَتي حُفرا

حَتّى تُجاوِرَ حُفرَتي حُفرا

Among them is a lovely young woman I shall not forget

until my grave lies beside other graves.