بَكَرَ العاذِلاتُ فيها صِراحا

بَكَرَ العاذِلاتُ فيها صِراحا

بِسَوادٍ وَما اِنتَظَرنَ صَباحا

بِسَوادٍ وَما اِنتَظَرنَ صَباحا

The reproaching women came early, outspoken about her,

The virgins wept bitterly throughout the night

in darkness, not waiting for dawn.

In black, not expecting the dawn.

قُلنَ عَزَّ الفُؤادَ عَن أُمِّ بَكرٍ

قُلنَ عَزَّ الفُؤادَ عَن أُمِّ بَكرٍ

بِعَزاءٍ قَدِ اِفتَضَحتَ اِفتِضاحا

بِعَزاءٍ قَدِ اِفتَضَحتَ اِفتِضاحا

They said: Wean your heart from Umm Bakr

They said, "It is hard for the heart to be consoled

with solace; you have disgraced yourself utterly.

With consolation that has become a disgrace."

قُلتُ ما حُبُّها عَلَيَّ بِعارٍ

قُلتُ ما حُبُّها عَلَيَّ بِعارٍ

إِن مُحِبٌّ يَوماً مِنَ الدَهرِ باحا

إِن مُحِبٌّ يَوماً مِنَ الدَهرِ باحا

I said: My love for her is no disgrace to me

I said, "My love for her is no shame to me.

if a lover should one day reveal his love.

For a lover one day may speak openly."

قَد أَرى أَنَّكُنَّ قُلتُنَّ نُصحاً

قَد أَرى أَنَّكُنَّ قُلتُنَّ نُصحاً

وَاِجتَهَدتُنَّ لَو أُريدُ صَلاحا

وَاِجتَهَدتُنَّ لَو أُريدُ صَلاحا

I do see that you have offered sincere counsel,

"You have spoken sincerely," I told them.

and done your utmost—were I seeking to mend my ways.

"And tried hard, had I wanted to be set right."

لَو دَويتُنَّ مِثلَ دائي عَذَرتُن

لَو دَويتُنَّ مِثلَ دائي عَذَرتُن

نَ وَلَكِن رَأَيتُكُنَّ صِحاحا

نَ وَلَكِن رَأَيتُكُنَّ صِحاحا

Had you suffered an illness like mine, you would have excused

"Had you felt my pain, you'd have excused me.

me; but I found you healthy.

But you saw me in good health."

أَو تَحَبَّبنَ لا تَعُدنَ فَإِنّي

أَو تَحَبَّبنَ لا تَعُدنَ فَإِنّي

قَد أَريتُ الوُشاةَ مِنّي اِطِّراحا

قَد أَريتُ الوُشاةَ مِنّي اِطِّراحا

Or show affection; do not return, for I

"Or if you had loved, do not repeat this.

have already shown the tale-bearers that I cast them aside.

For I have shown the slanderers away from me."

إِنَّها كَالمَهاةِ مُشبَعَةُ الخَل

إِنَّها كَالمَهاةِ مُشبَعَةُ الخَل

خالِ صِفرُ الحَشا تُجيعُ الوِشاحا

خالِ صِفرُ الحَشا تُجيعُ الوِشاحا

Indeed, she is like an oryx, with a sated

"She is like a surfeited camel,

anklet, slender-waisted, starving her sash.

Her udder dry, causing the milkers' despair."

في مَحَلِّ النِساءِ طَيِّبَةُ النَش

في مَحَلِّ النِساءِ طَيِّبَةُ النَش

رِ يُرى عِندَها الوِسامُ قِباحا

رِ يُرى عِندَها الوِسامُ قِباحا

Among women, sweet is her

"In the women's abode, she makes virtue

fragrance; beside her, the beautiful seem ugly.

Appear ugly when one is with her."

لَم تَزَل مِن هَوى قُرَيبَةَ تَهوى

لَم تَزَل مِن هَوى قُرَيبَةَ تَهوى

مَن يَليها حَتّى هَوَيتَ الرِياحا

مَن يَليها حَتّى هَوَيتَ الرِياحا

You never ceased, for love of Qurayba, to love

"She has not ceased from passionate love

whoever was near her, until you loved the winds.

For whoever is next to her, even unto the winds."

قَرَّبَتهُ المُقَرِّباتُ لِحينٍ

قَرَّبَتهُ المُقَرِّباتُ لِحينٍ

فَأَتى حَتفَهُ يَسيرُ كِفاحاً

فَأَتى حَتفَهُ يَسيرُ كِفاحاً

Those who drew him near brought him toward his doom;

"The flatterers brought him close for a while.

so he came to his death, walking to meet it head-on.

Then he met his fate with little strife."