يا صاحِبَيَّ قِفا نَستَخبِرِ الدارا

يا صاحِبَيَّ قِفا نَستَخبِرِ الدارا

أَقوَت فَهاجَت لَنا بِالنَعفِ تِذكارا

أَقوَت فَهاجَت لَنا بِالنَعفِ تِذكارا

O my two companions, halt; let us ask the dwelling for news.

O my companion, stop, let us ask about the house,

It lay deserted and stirred memories in us at the hillside.

Which was revived for us with the waving of branches.

تَبَدَّلَ الرَبعُ مِمَّن كانَ يَسكُنُهُ

تَبَدَّلَ الرَبعُ مِمَّن كانَ يَسكُنُهُ

أُدمَ الظِباءِ بِهِ يَمشينَ أَسطارا

أُدمَ الظِباءِ بِهِ يَمشينَ أَسطارا

The campsite has exchanged those who once dwelt there

The quarter has changed from those who used to inhabit it.

For white gazelles walking there in rows.

Its beautiful female gazelles walking proudly.

وَقَد أَرى مَرَّةً سِرباً بِهِ حَسَناً

وَقَد أَرى مَرَّةً سِرباً بِهِ حَسَناً

مِثلَ الجَآذِرِ أَثياباً وَأَبكارا

مِثلَ الجَآذِرِ أَثياباً وَأَبكارا

And once I saw a lovely flock there,

And I sometimes see a beautiful herd in it,

Like calves of wild cattle, married women and maidens.

Like buds, clothes and unmarried girls.

فيهِنَّ هِندٌ وَهِندٌ لا شَبيهَ لَها

فيهِنَّ هِندٌ وَهِندٌ لا شَبيهَ لَها

مِمَّن أَقامَ مِنَ الجيرانِ أَو سارا

مِمَّن أَقامَ مِنَ الجيرانِ أَو سارا

Among them was Hind, and Hind has no equal

Among them are matchless Indian girls,

Among the neighbors who stayed or departed.

Of those who stayed or traveled.

هَيفاءُ مُقبِلَةً عَجزاءُ مُدبِرَةً

هَيفاءُ مُقبِلَةً عَجزاءُ مُدبِرَةً

تَخالُها في ثِيابِ العَصبِ دينارا

تَخالُها في ثِيابِ العَصبِ دينارا

Slender-waisted as she approaches, full-hipped as she turns away,

Shy when approaching, bold when leaving,

You would take her in striped garments for a gold dinar.

Their anklets of woven string appear gold.

تَفتَرُّ عَن ذي غُروبٍ طَعمُهُ ضَرَبٌ

تَفتَرُّ عَن ذي غُروبٍ طَعمُهُ ضَرَبٌ

تَخالُهُ بَرَداً مِن مُزنَةِ مارا

تَخالُهُ بَرَداً مِن مُزنَةِ مارا

She smiles to reveal fine-edged teeth, her mouth sweet as white honey;

They turn away from one whose taste is bitterness,

You would think it hail streaming from a raincloud.

His coolness is like that of a viper.

كَأَنَّ عِقدَ وِشاحَيها عَلى رَشَإٍ

كَأَنَّ عِقدَ وِشاحَيها عَلى رَشَإٍ

يَقرو مِنَ الرَوضِ رَوضِ الحَزنِ أَثمارا

يَقرو مِنَ الرَوضِ رَوضِ الحَزنِ أَثمارا

As though the jeweled strand of her two sashes lay on a gazelle fawn,

As if the pearls of their necklaces were from a garden

Seeking fruit in the meadows, the meadows of rugged uplands.

Bearing the fruits of sorrow’s garden.

قامَت تَهادى وَأَترابٌ لَها مَعَها

قامَت تَهادى وَأَترابٌ لَها مَعَها

هَوناً تَدافُعَ سَيلِ الزُلِّ إِذ مارا

هَوناً تَدافُعَ سَيلِ الزُلِّ إِذ مارا

She rose and walked with swaying grace, her age-mates beside her,

She stood wavering while her companions around her

Gently, like a torrent surging over smooth stones as it flowed.

Gently pushed away the torrent’s surge as they walked.

يَمَّمنَ مورِقَةَ الأَفنانِ دانِيَةً

يَمَّمنَ مورِقَةَ الأَفنانِ دانِيَةً

وَفي الخَلاءِ فَما يُؤنِسنَ دَيّارا

وَفي الخَلاءِ فَما يُؤنِسنَ دَيّارا

They headed for a nearby tree with leafy branches,

She glanced at the horizon of meadows coming closer

And in the open wilderness they perceived not a soul.

But in the solitude found no joy in the houses.

قالَت لَوَ أَنَّ أَبا الخَطّابِ وافَقَنا

قالَت لَوَ أَنَّ أَبا الخَطّابِ وافَقَنا

فَنَلهُوَ اليَومَ أَو تُنشِدنَ أَشعارا

فَنَلهُوَ اليَومَ أَو تُنشِدنَ أَشعارا

She said: If only Abu al-Khattab would meet us,

She said, “If only Abu al-Khattab were with us

So we could make merry today, or you recite poems.

To spend the day or recite poetry.”

فَلَم يَرُعهُنَّ إِلّا العيسُ طالِعَةً

فَلَم يَرُعهُنَّ إِلّا العيسُ طالِعَةً

يَحمِلنَ بِالنَعفِ رُكّاباً وَأَكوارا

يَحمِلنَ بِالنَعفِ رُكّاباً وَأَكوارا

Then they were startled only by pale camels coming into view,

They were not at peace until they saw the scout

Carrying riders and saddles on the hillside,

Carrying riders and belongings.

وَفارِسٌ مَعَهُ البازي فَقُلنَ لَها

وَفارِسٌ مَعَهُ البازي فَقُلنَ لَها

ها هُم أُلاءِ وَما أَكثَرنَ إِكثارا

ها هُم أُلاءِ وَما أَكثَرنَ إِكثارا

And a horseman with a hawk; they said to her:

And a horseman with a falcon, so they said to it

Here they are! And they did not speak at length.

“Here they are, so many of them coming.”

لَمّا وَقَفنا وَغَيَّبنا رَكائِبَنا

لَمّا وَقَفنا وَغَيَّبنا رَكائِبَنا

بَدَلنَ بِالعِرفِ بَعدَ الرَجعِ إِنكارا

بَدَلنَ بِالعِرفِ بَعدَ الرَجعِ إِنكارا

When we halted and hid our riding camels,

When we stopped and hid our mounts,

After replying, they exchanged recognition for denial.

They changed from courtesy to denial after returning.

قُلنَ اِنزِلوا نَعِمَت دارٌ بِقُربِكُمُ

قُلنَ اِنزِلوا نَعِمَت دارٌ بِقُربِكُمُ

أَهلاً وَسَهلاً بِكُم مِن زائِرٍ زارا

أَهلاً وَسَهلاً بِكُم مِن زائِرٍ زارا

They said: Dismount! This dwelling is blessed by your nearness;

They said, “Dismount, you have come upon a house near you,

A warm welcome to you, guest who has come!

Welcome and greetings to a visiting visitor.”

لِما أَلَمَّت بِأَصحابي وَقَد هَجَعوا

لِما أَلَمَّت بِأَصحابي وَقَد هَجَعوا

حَسِبتُ وَسطَ رِجالِ القَومِ عَطّارا

حَسِبتُ وَسطَ رِجالِ القَومِ عَطّارا

When she came to my companions, who were already asleep,

When exhaustion overcame my companions as they slept

I thought a perfumer was among the men of the company,

I thought, amidst the men of the tribe, myself a perfume seller

مِن طيبِ نَشرِ الَّتي تامَتكَ إِذ طَرَقَت

مِن طيبِ نَشرِ الَّتي تامَتكَ إِذ طَرَقَت

وَنَفحَةِ المِسكِ وَالكافورِ إِذ ثارا

وَنَفحَةِ المِسكِ وَالكافورِ إِذ ثارا

From the sweet scent of her who enthralled you when she came by night,

From the scent of musk spreading, when you knocked,

And the waft of musk and camphor as their scents rose.

And the wafting of ambergris and camphor rising.

فَقُلتُ مَن ذا المُحَيِّيَ وَاِنتَبَهتُ لَهُ

فَقُلتُ مَن ذا المُحَيِّيَ وَاِنتَبَهتُ لَهُ

أَم مَن مُحَدِّثُنا هَذا الَّذي زارا

أَم مَن مُحَدِّثُنا هَذا الَّذي زارا

Then I said: Who is this offering greetings? And I awoke to him;

So I said, “Who is this greeter?” And I awoke for him,

Or who is this speaking to us, this one who has come?

“Who is speaking to us, O visitor who has come?”

قالَت مُحِبٌّ رَماهُ الحُبُّ آوِنَةً

قالَت مُحِبٌّ رَماهُ الحُبُّ آوِنَةً

وَهَيَّجَتهُ دَواعي الحُبَّ إِذ حارا

وَهَيَّجَتهُ دَواعي الحُبَّ إِذ حارا

She said: A lover whom love has struck from time to time,

She said, “A lover whom love has afflicted

And whom love's promptings stirred when he was bewildered.

And love’s pining confused when he wandered.”

حُلّي إِزارَكِ سُكنى غَيرَ صاغِرَةٍ

حُلّي إِزارَكِ سُكنى غَيرَ صاغِرَةٍ

إِن شِئتِ وَاِجزي مُحِبّاً بِالَّذي سارا

إِن شِئتِ وَاِجزي مُحِبّاً بِالَّذي سارا

Loosen your waist-wrap, Sukna, without humiliation,

"Undo your waistband in an unworried abode,

If you wish, and reward a lover with what he traveled for.

If you wish, and reward a lover for his wandering.”

فَقَد تَجَشَّمتُ مِن طولِ السُرى تَعَباً

فَقَد تَجَشَّمتُ مِن طولِ السُرى تَعَباً

وَفي الزِيارَةِ قَد أَبلَغتُ أَعذارا

وَفي الزِيارَةِ قَد أَبلَغتُ أَعذارا

For I have endured fatigue from the long journey by night,

“For I have endured much fatigue from long travel,

And I have offered ample excuses for this visit.

And in this visit I have given much excuse.”

إِنَّ الكَواكِبَ لا يُشبِهنَ صورَتَها

إِنَّ الكَواكِبَ لا يُشبِهنَ صورَتَها

وَهُنَّ أَسوَءُ مِنها بَعدُ أَخبارا

وَهُنَّ أَسوَءُ مِنها بَعدُ أَخبارا

Indeed, the stars do not resemble her in beauty,

“Surely the stars do not resemble their shapes,

And besides, the tales told of them are worse than hers.

And they are worse than the stars in information.”