قَرَّبَ جيرانُنا جِمالَهُمُ

قَرَّبَ جيرانُنا جِمالَهُمُ

لَيلاً فَأَضحَوا مَعا قَدِ اِندَفَعوا

لَيلاً فَأَضحَوا مَعا قَدِ اِندَفَعوا

Our neighbors brought their camels near

Our neighbors brought their camels

at night; and by morning they had set off together.

At night, and in the morning they set out together

ما كُنتُ أَدري بِوَشكِ بَينَهُمُ

ما كُنتُ أَدري بِوَشكِ بَينَهُمُ

حَتّى رَأَيتُ الغَداةَ قَد طَلَعوا

حَتّى رَأَيتُ الغَداةَ قَد طَلَعوا

I did not know their departure was so near

I did not know they were about to depart

until I saw them emerge that morning,

Until I saw them leaving in the morning

عَلى مِصَكَّينِ مِن جِمالِهُمُ

عَلى مِصَكَّينِ مِن جِمالِهُمُ

وَعَنتَريسَينِ فيهِما شَجَعُ

وَعَنتَريسَينِ فيهِما شَجَعُ

on two sturdy camels of theirs,

With two camel-litters upon their camels

and two powerful ones with long, swift strides.

And two courageous young men riding them

قَد كادَ قَلبي وَالعَينُ تَبصُرُهُم

قَد كادَ قَلبي وَالعَينُ تَبصُرُهُم

لَمّا تَوارَوا بِالغَورِ يَنصَدِعُ

لَمّا تَوارَوا بِالغَورِ يَنصَدِعُ

My heart nearly—while my eye watched them—

My heart and eyes almost burst seeing them

split when they vanished into the lowlands.

As they disappeared into the valley

يا قَلبِ صَبراً فَإِنَّهُ سَفَهٌ

يا قَلبِ صَبراً فَإِنَّهُ سَفَهٌ

بِالمَرءِ أَن يَستَفِزَّهُ الجَزَعُ

بِالمَرءِ أَن يَستَفِزَّهُ الجَزَعُ

O my heart, be patient, for it is folly

O heart, be patient, for it is foolish

for a man to be swept away by anguish.

For one to be provoked by sorrow

ما وَدَّعونا كَما زَعَمتَ وَلا

ما وَدَّعونا كَما زَعَمتَ وَلا

مِن بَعدِ أَن فارَقوا لَنا طَمَعُ

مِن بَعدِ أَن فارَقوا لَنا طَمَعُ

They did not bid us farewell as you claimed, nor

They did not bid us farewell, though you claimed so

have we any hope after their departure.

After they left us, there is no longer hope

هَل يُبلِغَنها السَلامَ أَقرَبُها

هَل يُبلِغَنها السَلامَ أَقرَبُها

عَنّي وَإِن يَفعَلوا فَقَد نَفَعوا

عَنّي وَإِن يَفعَلوا فَقَد نَفَعوا

Will those nearest to her convey greetings to her

Will the closest of them deliver my greetings?

from me? And if they do, they will have helped.

If they do so, they will have been of use

ما إِن أَرَدنا وِصالَ غَيرِهِمُ

ما إِن أَرَدنا وِصالَ غَيرِهِمُ

وَلا قَطَعناهُمُ كَما قَطَعوا

وَلا قَطَعناهُمُ كَما قَطَعوا

We never desired union with anyone but them,

We did not intend to meet others

nor did we cut them off as they did.

Nor did we cut them off, as they cut us off

وَلا ضَنِنّا عَنهُم بِنائِلِنا

وَلا ضَنِنّا عَنهُم بِنائِلِنا

وَلا خَشينا الَّتي بِها وَقَعوا

وَلا خَشينا الَّتي بِها وَقَعوا

Nor did we withhold our bounty from them,

Nor were we stingy with our camels toward them

nor did we fear what they had fallen into,

Nor did we fear that which befell them

حَتّى جَفَونا وَنَحنُ نَتبَعُهُم

حَتّى جَفَونا وَنَحنُ نَتبَعُهُم

أَلَيسَ بِاللَهِ بِئسَ ما صَنَعوا

أَلَيسَ بِاللَهِ بِئسَ ما صَنَعوا

until they shunned us while we followed them.

Until we were indifferent as we followed after them

By God, was not what they did vile?

How awful is what they have done!