لِي بَيْنَ وَادِي النَّقَا وَالجِزْعِ أَوطَارُ

لِي بَيْنَ وَادِي النَّقَا وَالجِزْعِ أَوْطَارُمَتَى عَلَى فَرَحٍ تَدْنُو لَنَا الدَّارُ

Lī bayna wādī an-naqā wa-al-jizʿi awṭāru, Matā ʿalā faraḥin tadnū lanā ad-dāru

I have wishes between the valley of al-Naqa and the bend; when will our home draw near in joy?

إِنِّي بِتِذْكَارِ بَانِ الحَيِّ ذُو شَجَنٍدَمْعِي لِفَرْطِ النَّوَى فِي الخَدِّ مِدْرَارُ

Innī bitidhkāri bāni al-ḥayyi dhū shajanin, Damʿī lifarṭi an-nawā fī al-khaddi midrāru

At the memory of the ban trees of the encampment I am full of sorrow; my tears pour down my cheek from the excess of distance.

يَا مُعْمِلَ العِيسِ هَلْ عَرَّسْتَ حَوْلَ فِنَاوَادِي العَقِيقِ وَهَلْ فِي العِلْمِ أَخْبَارُ

Yā muʿmila al-ʿīsi hal ʿarrasta ḥawla finā, Wādī al-ʿaqīqi wahal fī al-ʿilmi akhbāru

O you who drive the camels, did you halt for the night by the courtyard of the valley of al-'Aqiq? Have you any news of it?

وَهَلْ مَرَرْتَ عَلَى أَحْيَاءِ ذِي سَلَمٍوَهَلْ عَبَرْتَ الحِمَا وَالقَوْمُ سُمَّارُ

Wahal mararta ʿalā aḥyāʾi dhī salamin, Wahal ʿabarta al-ḥimā wa-al-qawmu summāru

Did you pass by the encampments of Dhu Salam? Did you cross the sanctuary while the folk were at their night talk?

إِنِّي إِلَى قُرْبِهِمْ قَدْ زَادَ بِي شَغَفِيوَالقَلْبُ أَشْجَنَهُ بِالبُعْدِ تِذْكَارُ

Innī ilā qurbihim qad zāda bī shaghafī, Wa-al-qalbu ashjanahu bi-al-buʿdi tidhkāru

My yearning for their nearness has grown, and remembrance in distance has filled my heart with sorrow.

لِي فِي الْأَجَارِعِ أَحْبَابٌ وَلِعْتُ بِهِمْيَا مَا أُحَيْلَى أُوَيْقَاتِي إِذَا زَارُوا

Lī fī al-ʾajāriʿi aḥbābun waliʿtu bihim, Yā mā uḥaylā uwayqātī idhā zārū

In al-Ajari' I have beloveds to whom I am devoted; how sweet my little moments are when they visit!

مَا زَمْزَمَ الرَّكْبُ حَادِي الرَّكْبِ فِي سَحَرٍوَمَا تَرَنَّمَ فِي الْأَغْصَانِ أَطْيَارُ

Mā zamzama ar-rakbu ḥādī ar-rakbi fī saḥarin, Wamā tarannama fī al-ʾaghṣāni aṭyāru

Never has the caravan's driver chanted at dawn, nor have birds sung among the branches,

أَلَا وَهَيَّجَ مِنِّي الوَجْدَ وَانْتَعَشَتْرُوحِي إِلَى قُرْبِهِمْ وَانْزَاحَ أَكْدَارُ

Alā wahayyaja minnī al-wajda wantaʿashat, Rūḥī ilā qurbihim wanzāḥa akdāru

But my ecstasy was stirred, my spirit revived toward their nearness, and my troubles were lifted.