حُوَيْدِي المَطَايَا كَمْ تُقِيمُ مَعَ الصَّدِّ

حُوَيْدِي المَطَايَا كَمْ تُقِيمُ مَعَ الصَّدِّوَتَسْلُو عَنِ الأَحْبَابِ بِالعَلَمِ الفَرْدِ

Ḥuwaydī al-maṭāyā kam tuqīmu maʿa aṣ-ṣaddi, Wataslū ʿani al-ʾaḥbābi bi-al-ʿalami al-fardi

O little driver of the camels, how long will you linger amid rejection and find consolation for the beloveds at the lone landmark?

كَأَنَّكَ لَا تَشْتَاقُ مِثْلِي لِقُرْبِهِمْوَعِنْدَكَ مَا عِنْدِي مِنَ الحُبِّ وَالوُدِّ

Kaʾannaka lā tashtāqu mithlī liqurbihim, Waʿindaka mā ʿindī mina al-ḥubbi wa-al-wuddi

As though you did not long for their nearness as I do, nor had the love and affection that I have,

وَلَا تَذْكُرُ العَهْدَ القَدِيمَ بِرَامَةٍوَأُحْدٍ وَسَلْعٍ يَا رَعَى اللهُ مِنْ عَهْدِ

Walā tadhkuru al-ʿahda al-qadīma birāmatin, Waʾuḥdin wasalʿin yā raʿā Allāhu min ʿahdi

Nor remember the old pledge at Rama, Uhud and Sal': may Allah protect that time!

بِنَفْسِيَ أَفْدِي النَّازِلِينَ بِطَيْبَةٍوَأَهْلِي فَهَلْ تَفْدِيهِمُ مِثْلَ مَا أَفْدِي

Binafsiya afdī an-nāzilīna biṭaybatin, Waʾahlī fahal tafdīhimu mithla mā afdī

With my soul I ransom those who dwell in Tayba, and with my family; will you ransom them as I do?

وَإِلَّا فَسَاعِدْنِي عَلَى قَصْدِ سُوحِهِمْوَخُذْ كُلَّ مَا تَطْلُبْهُ مِمَّا تَرَى عِنْدِي

Waʾillā fasāʿidnī ʿalā qaṣdi sūḥihim, Wakhudh kulla mā taṭlubhu mimmā tarā ʿindī

If not, then help me make for their courtyards, and take whatever you ask of all that you see I have.

فَهَيَّا بِنَا نَنْضِي المَطَايَا وَنَطْوِي الْمَهَامِهَ حَتَّى نَبْلُغَ الحَيَّ مِنْ نَجْدِ

Fahayyā binā nanḍī al-maṭāyā wanaṭwī al-, Mahāmiha ḥattā nablugha al-ḥayya min najdi

Come, let us drive the camels lean and cross the wastelands until we reach the encampment in Najd,

مَرَابِعُ أَحْبَابٍ بِهَا وَمَآرِبٌلَنَا لَمْ تُقَضَّى بَعْدُ فِي زَمَنِ البُعْدِ

Marābiʿu aḥbābin bihā wamaʾāribun, Lanā lam tuqaḍḍā baʿdu fī zamani al-buʿdi

The haunts of beloveds, where we have aims not yet fulfilled in the time of distance.

وَهَلْ تَنْقَضِي فِي البُعْدِ آرَابُ طَالِبٍوَلَكِنَّهُ يَدْنُو فَيُدْنَى مِنَ القَصْدِ

Wahal tanqaḍī fī al-buʿdi ʾārābu ṭālibin, Walakinnahu yadnū fayudnā mina al-qaṣdi

Can a seeker's aims be fulfilled from afar? Rather, he draws near and is brought near to his goal.

وَقَدْ كُنْتُ وَافَيْتُ الأَبَاطِحَ مَرَّةًوَلَكِنَّنِي لَمْ أُرْوَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الوِرْدِ

Waqad kuntu wāfaytu al-ʾabāṭiḥa marratan, Walakinnanī lam urwa min dhalika al-wirdi

I once came to the valleys of Mecca, but I did not quench my thirst at that spring,

وَلَمْ أَشْتَفِي مِنْ قُرْبِ سَلْمَى وَوَصْلِهَاوَتَقْبِيلِ خَالِ الخَدِّ مُسْتَوْدَعِ العَهْدِ

Walam ashtafī min qurbi salmā wawaṣlihā, Wataqbīli khāli al-khaddi mustawdaʿi al-ʿahdi

Nor was I satisfied with Salma's nearness and union, and kissing the mole on her cheek, keeper of the covenant.

وَوَافَيْتُ أَيْضاً دَارَ طَهَ وَرَبْعَهُمُحَمَّدٍ المَبْعُوثِ بِالحَقِّ وَالرُّشْدِ

Wawāfaytu ayḍan dāra ṭaha warabʿahu, Muḥammadin al-mabʿūthi bi-al-ḥaqqi wa-ar-rushdi

I also came to the abode of Taha and his dwelling, Muhammad, sent with truth and right guidance.

فَهَلْ لِيْ إِلَى تِلْكَ المَعَاهِدِ عَوْدَةٌوَقَدْ طَالَتِ الأَيَّامُ فِي البُعْدِ وَالصَّدِّ

Fahal liy ilā tilka al-maʿāhidi ʿawdatun, Waqad ṭālati al-ʾayyāmu fī al-buʿdi wa-aṣ-ṣaddi

Will I ever return to those beloved places, when the days have grown long in distance and rejection?

وَعِنْدِي أَشْوَاقٌ وَحُزْنٌ وَلَوْعَةٌتَزِيدُ مَعَ التَّذْكَارِ وَجْداً عَلَى وَجْدِ

Waʿindī ashwāqun waḥuznun walawʿatun, Tazīdu maʿa at-tadhkāri wajdan ʿalā wajdi

I have longing, grief and anguish that grow with remembrance, ecstasy upon ecstasy.

وَقَدْ قَعَدَتْ بِي النَّاهِضَاتُ مِنَ القُوَىوَمِنْ غَيْرِهَا فَاسْمَعْ لَكَ الخَيْرُ مَا أُبْدِي

Waqad qaʿadat bī an-nāhiḍātu mina al-quwā, Wamin ghayrihā fasmaʿ laka al-khayru mā ubdī

The strength of my faculties has failed me, and other things too; so listen, may good be yours, to what I tell you.

وَكُنْ نَائِباً عَنِّي بِإِهْدَا تَحِيَّةٍمُعَنْبَرَةٍ كَالمِسْكِ فِي العَرْفِ وَالنَّدِّ

Wakun nāʾiban ʿannī biʾihdā taḥiyyatin, Muʿanbaratin ka-al-miski fī al-ʿarfi wa-an-naddi

Be my deputy in bringing a greeting scented with ambergris, fragrant as musk and aloeswood,

وَبُلَّ ثَرَى أَرْضِ الحَبِيبِ بِدَمْعَةٍمُسَلْسَلَةٍ تَجْرِي عَلَى الخَدِّ كَالمَدِّ

Wabulla tharā arḍi al-ḥabībi bidamʿatin, Musalsalatin tajrī ʿalā al-khaddi ka-al-maddi

And moisten the soil of the beloved's land with a tear that flows in a chain down the cheek like a flood,

وَفِي دَعْوَةٍ مَسْمُوعَةٍ مُسْتَجَابَةٍعَسَى اللهُ أَنْ يَغْسِلْ بِهَا دَرَنَ العَبْدِ

Wafī daʿwatin masmūʿatin mustajābatin, ʿasā Allāhu an yaghsil bihā darana al-ʿabdi

And with a prayer that is heard and answered; perhaps Allah will wash away with it the servant's stains,

وَيَهْدِيهِ لِلْحُسْنَى وَيَخْتِمْ لَهُ بِهَاوَبِالعَمَلِ المَرْضِيِّ الخَالِصِ المُجْدِي

Wayahdīhi lilḥusnā wayakhtim lahu bihā, Wabi-al-ʿamali al-marḍiyyi al-khāliṣi al-mujdī

Guide him to the best, and seal his life with it, and with deeds that are pleasing, sincere and fruitful.

وَصَلَّى الإِلَهُ الحَقُّ دَأْباً وَسَرْمَداًعَلَى خَاتَمِ الرُّسْلِ الكِرَامِ بِلَا حَدِّ

Waṣallā al-ʾilahu al-ḥaqqu daʾban wasarmadan, ʿalā khātami ar-rusli al-kirāmi bilā ḥaddi

And may God, the Truth, send blessings constantly and eternally, without limit, upon the Seal of the noble Messengers,

مَعَ الآلِ وَالأَصْحَابِ يَا رَبِّ وَاجْمَعِ الْجَمِيعَ بِفَضْلٍ مِنْكَ فِي جَنَّةِ الخُلْدِ

Maʿa al-ʾāli wa-al-ʾaṣḥābi yā rabbi wajmaʿi al-, Jamīʿa bifaḍlin minka fī jannati al-khuldi

With his family and Companions; O Lord, and gather us all, by Your grace, in the Garden of Eternity.