1. When lightning flickers, it lights his way
As he guides his camel through the dark night

2. The road seemed difficult, his eyes scanning
Reading its flashes like scattered stars

3. A firefly lights his path, blinking in and out
As though it flicked hot embers from the fire

4. And a flash splitting the darkness
As the living's maid drew out the flame

5. I asked the caravans about him
In which direction did Kadhimah incline

6. To remind me of the dearest people, neighbors
And the sweetest land in my eyes, home

7. And the fairness of a people who wronged me
Leaving me with yearning like captivity after them

8. And the soft blowing winds blow and subside
Stirring hearts made bitter by its gentleness

9. I say to it when it travels and passes
Did the blossoms of acacia bear sweet fruit

10. Good fortune reached them even in their absence
Whether lovers drew near or shrines from afar

11. The breeze hasn’t gone south or east
Nor has the portion of sustenance yielded harvest

12. I will spare time the trouble of blaming me
Excuse it even if it casts off excuse

13. We have faced multitudes of its misfortunes
And waded through the depths of its waves

14. Yet we only showed it defiance
And wore for it nothing but dignity

15. Whoever has the prince as protector
Befriends the lofty planet

16. He is the steep unconquerable mountain
Too lofty to look upon a cave with scorn

17. I fled to him from the nights' betrayal
So it veered its tyranny away from me in escape

18. When I chose him to foil for me
The youthfulness of time, I chose not in vain

19. Being near him was the beauty of worldly days
You’d see their days lovely but brief

20. A blossoming, tender life
That we cherish when embraced

21. The enemies quickly returned
To ruin the sweetness of my joy through their scheming

22. He compensated my loss of company
And replaced my glad tidings with deception

23. So I saw my day as night because of him
And I would see, through him, my night as day

24. I stay up at night with my worries spewing distress
My copious tears spent

25. You’d think my lids burnt
As if they met embers

26. O father of sparks, the rhymes
Yearn to you, pilgrims seeking your shrine

27. My reproach flows like the breeze for blame
Kindling the ashes within me into flames

28. I shine it to delight my listeners
As I shone the flint stone to spark flame

29. Is it not ugly that I see you turn away
When I have come with no shame or disgrace

30. And I didn’t deny favors from you that were many
Or rob you of praise that delighted you

31. Rather, I clothed you in the jewelry of a people
I saw you refine more immaculately

32. What stranger to poetry met
Your heights and strove for composure

33. The chaste rhythms yearn to you
When adorned, aroused, and innovated

34. So they approach you, dignified
And distance themselves from wedlock in refusal

35. Praise prefers you over kings
Counting its stance among them as loss

36. Why blame the best rhythms
If they choose the elite of men

37. Its elegance on Eid was evident
When it saw a beloved who crowned it glory

38. It shook its braids joyously to him
Casting off its veils

39. If at times there was a hidden secret
I defended it openly with excuse

40. Among what built the supreme glory
Were sins you forgave seeking amends

41. You surpassed people in merit and fairness
Shining in wisdom and innovation

42. Had I not made you immune from my enemy
We would have counted it, for its freshness, blossomed