إليك تحن النجب والنجباء

إليك تحن النجب والنجباء

فهم وهي في أشواقهم شركاء

فهم وهي في أشواقهم شركاء

To you the fine-bred camels and noble men yearn.

To you the stars and maidens yearn

For they and the camels share their longings.

They and she in their longing are partners

تخب بركاب تحب وصولها

تخب بركاب تحب وصولها

لأرض بها بادٍ سنى وسناء

لأرض بها بادٍ سنى وسناء

They trot with riders, longing to arrive

Yearning at your feet, hoping for their arrival

at a land where radiance and glory shine forth.

To a land where the loved one lived in bliss

فأنفاسها ما أن تنى صعداؤها

فأنفاسها ما أن تنى صعداؤها

وأنفاسهم من فوقها سعداء

وأنفاسهم من فوقها سعداء

So their breaths—their deep sighs—never slacken,

Their breaths no sooner sigh than rise

and their riders' breaths from atop them are joyful.

And their breaths above exhale in joy

هموا عالجوا إذ عجل السير داءهم

هموا عالجوا إذ عجل السير داءهم

وأشباه مثلي مدنفون بطاء

وأشباه مثلي مدنفون بطاء

They treated their sickness as the journey quickened,

They intended, they healed, when travel quickened their malady

while others like me languish, slow to move.

While others like me remain disheartened and slow

فعدت ودوني للحبيب ترحلوا

فعدت ودوني للحبيب ترحلوا

وما قاعد والراحلون سواء

وما قاعد والراحلون سواء

So I turned back, while they departed for the beloved without me;

So I returned while my loved one journeyed on

one who stays behind and those departing are not alike.

And I who stayed and the travelers are not equal

له وعليه حب قلبي وأدمعي

له وعليه حب قلبي وأدمعي

وقد صح لي حبٌّ وسح بكاء

وقد صح لي حبٌّ وسح بكاء

My heart's love is his, and my tears are shed over him;

For him and to him is my heart's love and tears

my love has proved true, and my weeping pours forth.

A love proven and tears streaming have healed me

بطيبة هل أرضى وتبدو سماؤها

بطيبة هل أرضى وتبدو سماؤها

وإن تك أرضاً فالحبيب سماء

وإن تك أرضاً فالحبيب سماء

In Tayba, shall I be content as its sky appears?

In Tayba could I be pleased though its sky shows clear

Though it be earth, the beloved is heaven.

If it remains a land while my beloved is the sky

شذا نفحها واللمح منها كأنه

شذا نفحها واللمح منها كأنه

ذكاء عبير والضياء ذكاء

ذكاء عبير والضياء ذكاء

Its breeze is fragrant, and a glimpse of it seems like

Its breezes are fragrant and a glance from there as if

the keen scent of perfume; its radiance is Dhuka, the sun.

Wit, perfume's scent and the light, radiance

فيا حادياً غنى وللركب حادياً

فيا حادياً غنى وللركب حادياً

غناني بعد البعد عنك عناء

غناني بعد البعد عنك عناء

So, O camel-driver who sang, urging the caravan onward,

O guide of song lead on though from you is torment

after separation from you, anguish sang to me.

Sing to me after distance from you wears me down

بسلع فسل عما أقاسي من الهوى

بسلع فسل عما أقاسي من الهوى

وسل بقباءٍ إذ يلوح قباء

وسل بقباءٍ إذ يلوح قباء

At Salʿ, ask what I endure from love,

In Salu', question about my agony from love

and ask at Quba when a robe comes into view.

And question in Quba when it comes into view

وفي عالج مني بقلبي لاعج

وفي عالج مني بقلبي لاعج

فهل لي علاج عنده وشفاء

فهل لي علاج عنده وشفاء

And at ʿAlij I have a burning ache in my heart;

In healing me with my heart do not despair

is there a remedy and healing for me with him?

Can I find healing there and recovery?

وفي الرقمتين أرقم الشوق لاذع

وفي الرقمتين أرقم الشوق لاذع

ودرياقه أن لو يباح لقاء

ودرياقه أن لو يباح لقاء

At al-Raqmatayn, longing's speckled serpent stings,

Upon parchment I inscribe my burning longing

and its antidote is a meeting—if only one were allowed.

Its cure, if union were permitted, is our meeting

أماكن تمكين وأرضٌ بها الرضى

أماكن تمكين وأرضٌ بها الرضى

وأرجاء فيها للمشوق رجاء

وأرجاء فيها للمشوق رجاء

Places of firm abiding, and a land where contentment dwells,

Places of shelter and a land where contentment lies

and regions where the yearning one finds hope.

And places where the longing find hope