1. The house where you dwelled has been ruined by time
And the traces of dust from your departure still remain

2. Desolate and uninhabited, never visited at dawn or dusk
Except by wailing winds echoing through its empty halls

3. Crying out their laments to the hollow ruins
I shed my tears for the dear one departed

4. Like necklaces of pearls from Iraq scattered apart
The land you left and wandered from, so long ago

5. Yet still my heart is guided back there by love
I banish any thought of affection growing cold

6. Or turning away from memories my spirit still craves
So that my love for you will overcome my sorrows

7. Though I struggle to restrain it, I am still enthralled
Spare me the accusations of gossiping detractors

8. For I am but a hapless victim of your sweet love
O Umayma, you have distracted me and revealed to me

9. Such delightful qualities of character before unknown
At times I find peace and solace, at others it seems

10. The troubles of my youth are weighing down upon me
I say it's just a dream of my Umayma that stirs me

11. For one who yearns is thrilled by the slightest phantom
They tell me to be strong, for this is but madness

12. Yet for the lovesick tears are their only consolation
The cool waters of Muzain are naught without you here

13. Only the hillsides remain, and the beasts roam unfettered
Untamed gazelles rest in the shade, then venture out

14. Led in their freedom by the gentle southern winds
A tribe on the move, their tents dotting the horizon

15. Struck at dawn, then quickly dismantled as the winds shift
With the sweetest taste of all that they contain

16. My nature is such that when I see them, I am tempted
Happy the camel returning to the campsite

17. To sip the nectar from lips like sweetest wine
Her seat adorned with trinkets, a camel-litter bedecked

18. With butterflies, partridges, and every ornament
Gorged on pure rainwater collected in her hump

19. Brown feathers like the wings of a sandgrouse in flight
I love the descent into both valleys, though truly

20. My heart is a stranger to the slopes of Dun and Thabir
And where are the Arak trees, the lotus fruit and blooms?

21. Who will inform me if my beloved is near?
The soft breezes wafting from her land arrive to me

22. Weakened, yet still carry her sweet scent as they pass
My eyes scan the night sky and each star above

23. As if I were the watchful guardian over them all
And I long for the Yemeni lightning in the darkness

24. As passion rises in me when southern winds blow
In the farmland of Sanaa I saw but a mirage

25. A dream's deceptions, though they seemed real at the time
My hands grasped at the stars but found only the empty sky

26. As their radiance faded and their lights were extinguished
The girl Riyadah came to me stealthily in the night

27. Crossing the field between us to reach her lover
I awoke the sleeping pair, both crying out

28. Responding together when alarmed and terrified
The froths of waves subsided after some time

29. And the sun revealed their true colors and characters
The constant grasp of swords has marked my shoulders

30. With scars and wounds from long campaigns of battle
Routing army upon army, a constant blur

31. Of dawn and dusk amidst the gardens of death
The spies have made it their mission to find out

32. Umayma, if I have a place within your heart
Stranger am I, called here by yearning, led by desire

33. Like a tame camel pulled along by its bridle
You made me familiar to the people, you drew me near

34. Though once I was but a stranger from afar
If I heard you call I would answer immediately

35. Calling your name before all others who respond
Beware the fickleness and estrangement born of malice

36. For the bond between us still holds true
They say no stranger can stay among our lands

37. Yet I come to you open-handed with gifts
Those who pursue forbidden passions are rewarded

38. While I receive no comfort or solace from you
They advise me to abandon my desire for you

39. Since the malice of youth has turned against me
I despair at the loss of affection once held so dear

40. As my heart will find no peace without you
A healer may mend a heart shattered by intense devotion

41. Yet one drowned in love can never be restored to health
I saw a fire blazing, with naught but distance between us

42. Like a barren valley or expanse of water dividing us
When I come to you exhausted in the deep of night

43. You mistake me for a vagabond wanderer in the darkness
Empty promises you made and oaths you gave

44. Yet for one who hoped, your love was but a mirage
I feigned coldness, not out of hate or bitterness

45. But Umayma, my darling, I am still your captive
When told, she said: Between us lies a great distance

46. An impassable gulf no caravan could traverse
I made excuses for you, since what happened was trivial

47. And caused no breach that could not soon be repaired
I told her: do not bother to make excuses for me

48. The sins I have committed cannot be atoned or forgiven
Umayma, have I become contemptible in your eyes?

49. Look at my body wasted by your bitter estrangement
My vigor is drained, no vitality remains

50. As you deny all warmth and affection towards me
The isolated peak stands apart on the hillside

51. Yet I will go to it, even if spurned, for it is beloved
In spite of my enemies, I find solace in its shade

52. A healing balm for the wounded heart's afflictions
It shelters me, though they deride and reject me

53. For I care nothing for those who would prohibit me
I will answer when my Umayma calls

54. No other voice stirs me to respond except for hers
Delay no longer, before this separation consumes all love

55. And my soul can find no comfort or peace in you
By day I love your cheerful manner, by night I am summoned

56. By passion, calling me to you, and I oblige
When I saw your resentment growing, though our love

57. Still thrived, and hearts turned against me in their envy
I withdrew, not out of hate or bitterness towards you

58. But Umayma, my love, you are still my heart's delight
Reconcile before the bond between us becomes severed

59. And no portion of your affection remains for me
They say to beware a stranger in our lands, yet I

60. Am but a stranger led to you by fate's design
Those who follow wayward passions are rewarded

61. While I see no comfort from you for all I've endured
They say: "Desist from your passion which has bred

62. Only malice and spite from the youths against you"
I despair at losing the affection once held so dear

63. And that my heart cannot be consoled or placated
A healer may mend a heart shattered by love

64. Once afflicted with such intense and pure devotion
I have endured the bitterest poisons and still feel no hatred

65. Nor harbor resentment when hurt and oppressed
They have wronged my beloved, though she is innocent

66. And I had no part in causing her such injustice
They say: "No stranger can stay in our land overnight"

67. Yet it is I who comes to you with gifts outstretched
If they hold bitterness against me, I only feel tenderness

68. For I am sweeter than pure waters towards you
Let me restore the campsite of Hiss ibn Zayd

69. For its purity and sweetness is pleasing to me
Beware of sundering the bond between us, for I

70. Will always have a claim to meet you there
Regard the slanderers as a plague and pestilence

71. For I am more unrelenting towards them than lions
While you remain prosperous, I shall be your sentinel

72. Ever watchful, though none can perceive me
Tell me, do you think of me sometimes? For thoughts of you

73. Are my constant comfort and companion in this life
And is there a place for me within your heart?

74. For your image dwells eternally inside my heart
I am not forgotten, then served a bitter draft

75. For the soul finds no solace in what it cannot obtain
I saw souls imprisoned though they had no crime

76. With no misdeeds to deserve such punishment
Without you there is no joy in this world

77. If one cannot visit a beloved or be visited by a lover
I have drunk lethal venoms without perishing

78. And shown only devotion, never fury, when hurt
My companions sleep while passions disrobe me

79. Exposing secrets once hidden so discreetly within
If you fear you cannot contain our love, then return

80. My heart, for the dwelling place is not far removed
Should I abandon you out of pride or misguidance

81. Only to regret it later and beg your forgiveness?
I followed you for a year, then two years more

82. As the feeble and frail will trail behind the mighty
You then donned the garb of one inferior and base

83. No longer worthy of the affections you once elicited
Seeking favor from Umayma is fruitless

84. For when she promises, her words are but lies
One day I said to the son of Amr, as our fates diverged -

85. Some souls rising higher, others plunged into despair:
The hands of enemies are outstretched against us

86. So we must aim true with our spears and strike them
I enjoyed but a brief glimpse of the encampment

87. For nothing surpasses that view of the hillside
Oh, would that I knew! Do you still remember me?

88. For remembering you in this life is my only solace
And is there a place that is mine within your heart?

89. Just as you dwell eternally within my heart
I am not discarded, forced to drink bitterness

90. For the soul finds no joy in what it cannot obtain
I saw souls tried and imprisoned for so long

91. Though they had committed no sins or misdeeds
There is no good in this world if one cannot visit

92. A beloved, or be visited by a sweetheart
I was served the blood of snakes yet did not perish

93. Nor react with fury when hurt and oppressed
While my companions sleep, passions disrobe me

94. And expose the secrets once hidden discreetly within
If you fear you cannot restrain our love, then return

95. My heart, for it is not far and the dwelling place is near
Could it be pride that makes me abandon you?

96. Only to later regret it and beg your forgiveness?
For a year I followed you, then two years more

97. As the weak and frail will trail behind the mighty
You then donned the garb of one inferior and base

98. No longer worthy of the affections you once elicited
Seeking favors from Umayma is fruitless

99. For when she promises, her words are but lies
I said to the son of Amr one day, as our fates diverged:

100. Some souls rising higher, while others plunged into despair
The hands of enemies are outstretched against us

101. So we must strike true with our spears against them
I enjoyed but a glimpse of the hillside encampment

102. For nothing can surpass that view of the dunes
Oh, would that I knew! Do you still remember me?

103. For in this life, thoughts of you are my only solace
And is there a place that is mine within your heart?

104. Just as you eternally dwell inside my heart
I am not discarded, forced to drink what is bitter

105. For the soul finds no joy in what cannot be obtained
I saw souls imprisoned for so long though innocent

106. With no sins or misdeeds to deserve such punishment
There is no good in this world if one cannot visit

107. A beloved, or be visited by a sweetheart
I have endured the bitterest poisons yet feel no hatred

108. Nor fury when hurt, but show only compassion
While my companions sleep, passions disrobe me

109. And expose secrets once hidden discreetly within
If you fear our love cannot be contained, return

110. My heart, for the dwelling place is not far removed
Does pride make me abandon you, only to later

111. Regret it and beg your forgiveness?
For a year I followed you, then two years more

112. As the feeble and frail trail behind the mighty
You donned the garb of one inferior and base

113. No longer worthy of the affections you once elicited
Seeking favor from Umayma is fruitless

114. For when she promises, her words are but lies