فَجَعَتنا أُمُّ بِشرٍ

فَجَعَتنا أُمُّ بِشرٍ

بَعدَ قُربٍ بِاِحتِمالِ

بَعدَ قُربٍ بِاِحتِمالِ

Umm Bishr brought us grief

The mother of Bishr saddened us,

after closeness, by departing.

After closeness, with endurance,

بَينَمَ نَحنُ جَميعاً

بَينَمَ نَحنُ جَميعاً

حيرَةٌ في خَيرِ حالِ

حيرَةٌ في خَيرِ حالِ

While we were all together,

While we were all,

bewildered, in the best of states,

Perplexed, in the best of states,

إِذ سَمِعنا مِن مُنادٍ

إِذ سَمِعنا مِن مُنادٍ

أَن تَهَيَّوا لِاِرتِحالِ

أَن تَهَيَّوا لِاِرتِحالِ

we heard from a caller:

When we heard a caller

"Prepare yourselves to depart!"

To prepare for departure,

فَزِعوا لِلبَينِ لَمّا

فَزِعوا لِلبَينِ لَمّا

نَزَلوا بَزلَ الجَمالِ

نَزَلوا بَزلَ الجَمالِ

They hastened to part when

They panicked for the separation when

they dismounted the full-grown camels,

They descended to unload the camels,

وَبِغالاً مُلجَماتٍ

وَبِغالاً مُلجَماتٍ

جَنَّبوها بِالجِلالِ

جَنَّبوها بِالجِلالِ

and bridled mules

And the tied up female camels

they led alongside in saddlecloths.

They avoided with reverence,

فَاِستَقَلّوا وَدُموعي

فَاِستَقَلّوا وَدُموعي

قَد أَرَبَّت بِاِنهِمالِ

قَد أَرَبَّت بِاِنهِمالِ

Then they set off, while my tears

So they departed while my tears

were already pouring without cease,

Flowed copiously with grief,

مِن هَوى خودٍ لَعوبٍ

مِن هَوى خودٍ لَعوبٍ

غادَةٍ مِثلِ الهِلالِ

غادَةٍ مِثلِ الهِلالِ

from love of a playful young beauty,

For the love of smooth cheeked, playful,

a graceful maiden like the crescent moon.

Crescent-like Khawd,

أَشبَهِ الخَلقِ جَميعاً

أَشبَهِ الخَلقِ جَميعاً

حينَ تَبدو بِالمِثالِ

حينَ تَبدو بِالمِثالِ

Of all people, she is the closest in likeness,

The most beautiful of all creation

when she appears, to a statue.

When she appears as an example,

إِنَّما أَلوَت بِعَقلي

إِنَّما أَلوَت بِعَقلي

بَعدَ حِلمٍ وَاِكتِهالِ

بَعدَ حِلمٍ وَاِكتِهالِ

She has simply made off with my reason

She has captured my mind,

after sober judgment and the onset of middle age,

After patience and composure,

حينَ لاحَ الشيبُ مِنّي

حينَ لاحَ الشيبُ مِنّي

في شَواتي وَقَذالي

في شَواتي وَقَذالي

when gray hair appeared on me

When the gray hair appeared on me,

on my scalp and the back of my head.

In my temples and sideburns,

أَيُّها الناصِحُ قَبلي

أَيُّها الناصِحُ قَبلي

فُتِنَت شُمطُ الرِجالِ

فُتِنَت شُمطُ الرِجالِ

O counselor, before me

O advisor before me,

gray-haired men were enthralled.

The forelocks of men are tempted,

فَفُؤادي مِن هَواها

فَفُؤادي مِن هَواها

هائِمٌ أُخرى اللَيالي

هائِمٌ أُخرى اللَيالي

So my heart, from love of her,

So my heart is crazed with her love,

wanders in love till the last of nights.

Infatuated, through the nights.