شاقَ قَلبي تَذَكُّرُ الأَحبابِ

شاقَ قَلبي تَذَكُّرُ الأَحبابِ

وَاِعتَرَتني نَوائِبُ الأَطرابِ

وَاِعتَرَتني نَوائِبُ الأَطرابِ

Remembering loved ones stirred longing in my heart,

Remembering my loved ones has wearied my heart,

And fits of rapture overtook me.

And I am beset by bouts of turmoil.

يا خَليلَيَّ فَاِعلَما أَنَّ قَلبي

يا خَليلَيَّ فَاِعلَما أَنَّ قَلبي

مُستَهامٌ بِرَبَّةِ المِحرابِ

مُستَهامٌ بِرَبَّةِ المِحرابِ

O my two friends, know that my heart

O my friend, know that my heart

Is lovesick for the lady of the chamber.

Is enamored with the belle of the prayer niche.

عُلِّقَ القَلبُ مِن قُرَيشٍ ثَقالاً

عُلِّقَ القَلبُ مِن قُرَيشٍ ثَقالاً

ذاتَ دَلٍّ نَقِيَّةَ الأَثوابِ

ذاتَ دَلٍّ نَقِيَّةَ الأَثوابِ

The heart fell in love with a stately woman of Quraysh,

My heart clung to a maiden of Quraysh,

Full of coquettish charm, with spotless robes.

Of graceful figure, immaculate robes.

رَبَّةً لِلنِساءِ في بَيتِ مَلكٍ

رَبَّةً لِلنِساءِ في بَيتِ مَلكٍ

جَدُّها حَلَّ ذِروَةَ الأَحسابِ

جَدُّها حَلَّ ذِروَةَ الأَحسابِ

Mistress of women in a king's house,

A belle among women in a ruler's home,

Her grandfather reached the summit of ancestral honor.

Her lineage the pinnacle of all lineages.

شَفَّ عَنها مُرَقَّقٌ جَنَديٌّ

شَفَّ عَنها مُرَقَّقٌ جَنَديٌّ

فَهيَ كَالشَمسِ مِن خِلالِ السَحابِ

فَهيَ كَالشَمسِ مِن خِلالِ السَحابِ

A fine Janadī cloth let her show through,

A lovesick soldier unveiled her,

So she was like the sun through the clouds.

So she shone like the sun through the clouds.

فَتَراءَت حَتّى إِذا جُنَّ قَلبي

فَتَراءَت حَتّى إِذا جُنَّ قَلبي

سَتَرَتها وَلائِدٌ بِالثِيابِ

سَتَرَتها وَلائِدٌ بِالثِيابِ

Then she appeared, until, when my heart went mad,

She appeared until my heart was captured,

Maidservants concealed her with garments.

Then veils concealed her with their wrappings.

قُلتُ لَمّا ضَرَبنَ بِالسِترِ دوني

قُلتُ لَمّا ضَرَبنَ بِالسِترِ دوني

لَيسَ هَذا لِعاشِقٍ بِثَوابِ

لَيسَ هَذا لِعاشِقٍ بِثَوابِ

I said, when they drew the curtain before me:

When she was curtained from my view,

This is no reward for a lover.

I said this is no reward for a lover.

فَأَجابَت مِنَ القَطينِ فَتاةٌ

فَأَجابَت مِنَ القَطينِ فَتاةٌ

ذاتُ دَلٍّ رَقيقَةٌ بِعِتابِ

ذاتُ دَلٍّ رَقيقَةٌ بِعِتابِ

Then a girl from the household answered,

From behind the veil a soft-toned maiden replied,

Coquettish and delicate, with reproach:

Chiding gently, her words a reproach:

أَرسِلي نَحوَهُ الوَليدَةَ تَسعى

أَرسِلي نَحوَهُ الوَليدَةَ تَسعى

قَد فَعَلنا رِضا أَبي الخَطّابِ

قَد فَعَلنا رِضا أَبي الخَطّابِ

Send the maidservant hastening toward him;

Send to him the handmaid, let her make haste,

We have already done what pleases Abū al-Khaṭṭāb.

We have obeyed Father of Al-Khattab.

لا تُطِع في قَطيعَةِ اِبنَةِ بِشرٍ

لا تُطِع في قَطيعَةِ اِبنَةِ بِشرٍ

ماجِدَ الخيمِ طاهِرِ الأَثوابِ

ماجِدَ الخيمِ طاهِرِ الأَثوابِ

Do not consent to breaking with the daughter of Bishr,

Disobey not, in severing ties with Bishr's daughter,

Noble in character, with spotless robes.

The glorious-tented, pure-robed commander.

فَاِتَّقي ذا الجَلالِ يا أُمَّ عَمروٍ

فَاِتَّقي ذا الجَلالِ يا أُمَّ عَمروٍ

وَاِحكُمي في أَسيرُكُم بِالصَوابِ

وَاِحكُمي في أَسيرُكُم بِالصَوابِ

So fear the Lord of Majesty, O Umm ʿAmr,

Fear the Almighty, O mother of 'Amr,

And judge your captive rightly.

And judge your captive rightly.

اِفعَلي بِالأَسيرِ إِحدى ثَلاثٍ

اِفعَلي بِالأَسيرِ إِحدى ثَلاثٍ

فَاِفهَميهِنَّ ثُمَّ رُدّي جَوابي

فَاِفهَميهِنَّ ثُمَّ رُدّي جَوابي

Do one of three things to the captive:

Do with your captive one of three things:

So understand them, then answer me.

Understand them, then send me your reply.

اُقتُليهِ قَتلاً سَريحاً مُريحاً

اُقتُليهِ قَتلاً سَريحاً مُريحاً

لا تَكوني عَلَيهِ سَوطَ عَذابِ

لا تَكوني عَلَيهِ سَوطَ عَذابِ

Kill him with a swift death that brings relief;

Kill him an easy death, a death of ease,

Do not be a scourge of torment upon him.

Be not to him a whip of torment.

أَو أَقيدي فَإِنَّما النَفسُ بِالنَف

أَو أَقيدي فَإِنَّما النَفسُ بِالنَف

سِ قَضاءً مُفَصَّلاً في الكِتابِ

سِ قَضاءً مُفَصَّلاً في الكِتابِ

Or grant requital, for it is but life for life—

Or imprison him, for soul shall redeem soul -

A judgment clearly set forth in the Book.

A decree precisely decreed in the Book.

أَو صِليهِ وَصلاً يُقَرُّ عَلَيهِ

أَو صِليهِ وَصلاً يُقَرُّ عَلَيهِ

إِنَّ شَرَّ الوِصالِ وَصلُ الكِذابِ

إِنَّ شَرَّ الوِصالِ وَصلُ الكِذابِ

Or grant him a union he can rest secure in;

Or unite with him in a binding pact,

Indeed, the worst union is a union of lies.

Though the worst unities are ties based on lies.