1. She greeted us a warm welcome, inquiring
What guided her to the sons of dark Salma.

2. She lit up the way, her lamp illuminating,
With neither moon nor stars to guide her to us.

3. The darkness was asked of us but denied knowing,
Oh, the tribulation! The denial so bold!

4. By her hand the hills were made barren,
And if fates had crossed her, they'd be filled with dread.

5. She sculpted with determination statues
That had no sound where they slept, no body.

6. Like birds drunk on the nectar of vines
That only her touch could relieve our suffering.

7. When sleep brought dreams, I found her
And said: would that it were not a dream!

8. She was but a gazelle, so shy,
Whose love filled the hearts of those who loved her.

9. Except she was a doe of dunes and grasslands,
Except she was helpless, except she was perfect.

10. The saliva of sleep flowed from her,
Caressing our cheeks, slick greetings to the deaf.

11. So her lips got what they craved,
And her nose got the scent that it desired.

12. How strange that she's so generous
Yet so frugal with words fearing sin.

13. To her stinginess she added cowardice and frailty,
Three traits that bring praise or blame.

14. A belle who saw the dawn sun on her brow,
The sun's radiance and the darkness of her tresses.

15. A belle with delicate body and gentle speech,
She could, if she wished, bring down the virtuous.

16. She battles to kill souls and capture them,
No mind remains for her victims, no mercy.

17. Oh, I wonder how a lover can sleep
When the beloved has vanished into the night.

18. How can I spend a night and not be haunted
By worries, as one plagued with fever?

19. Did the beauty keep her promise or betray me,
As many women of old betrayed men?

20. If the whites* forsake me, though they know me well,
Unhindered that my parting hair is gray.

21. All who followed me, my ways and goals,
Have abandoned me, calling me blind.

22. Once I was bound by her light, and whenever
I complained of illness, they said: be sicker!

23. They hiss if I call, come close if I persist,
Yet I see they're blind to all people, deaf.

24. They answer if I call honor, coyness,
Asma over Laila, Zainab over Asma,

25. Khaulah over Lubna, and Lubna answers
Over Saada, and Saadiyah over Salma.

26. Hind wished the caller would say her name,
And Dauad wished a caller would call her name.

27. I say my words some are satisfactory,
My deeds and name are names, marks sublime.

28. But my ignorance drove wisdom away,
And nothing makes up for wisdom lost.

29. It's enough that the whites forsook me, for even
Conversing with them soured faces and feelings.

30. They ascended to the peak of glory,
And glory's abode, through their fathers.

31. Their dreams can't compare to the vision of the wise,
Their knowledge encompasses all knowledge.

32. No elevation, abasement but by them,
No syntax but theirs, nothing governed or bound.

33. The issuing of edicts by others is injustice,
As they have no edicts or rulings to make.

34. Whether they war or make peace,
Their war is just and their peace a peace.

35. Such people never wrong a Muslim soul,
They fear no injustice from anyone.

36. As if they seek praise in full,
I find no verse in which they are named.

37. Whoever turns from us and is humbled,
And fears no injustice when settled or exiled,

38. Are people who see their prohibitions
As law, their compulsions as duties bound.

39. How many who can't mount reject the race,
How many blind to the dawn sun deny its light.

40. I swear by the disheveled pilgrims,
Of them no fat or meat remains.

41. Their camels are worn by miles and sun
Their clothing bleached by the drool become white.

42. On them are vessels that once determined, marched on
No drawn sword could match their resolve.

43. When we camp, the houses of Banu Fla
Become the letter meem, their eyes the letter ain**.

44. Never did their fathers part from them,
Umm Ubaid was ever their mother.

45. They sought goodness and were softened
By memories of Muhammad and Abu Bakr,

46. And memories of Uthman and of them all.
For its scent in their dwelling the musk they hoarded.

47. Excellent! My defiant people, yes excellent!
Yes, most excellent, their giving and nobility.

48. The honored elders of Banu Ali
Grew within them, no Ali but them thrives.

49. Among them are those of generous palms and minds so wise,
Those courageous of soul when destiny frowns.

50. Among them is one whose words are few, a composer
Of descriptions of those whose virtue was perfect.

51. The wellspring of pens, his ink their rain,
At times flowing, at times gathering.

52. Adorning them the whites*** of the proud steeds,
No polished sword but desires their inscription.****

53. Meanings are not lost to them,
No "or", no "as", no "indeed", no "then".

54. No "is it", no "but", no sisters thereof,
No "that", no "never", no "if only", no "as if".

55. They master grammar, immersed in its sea,
From them comes no lesson that gives you insight.

56. They discourse on the complexities easily unraveled,
Discourse on "if only" and "or" and "indeed".

57. Sometimes on the poetry of vagabonds,
One reciting "it was long," another "is it that?"

58. And another, "it became mixed," and one reciting "or
did the heart forget Salma?"

59. And one, "she from whom it excites me", and one,
"morning you floated high the water,"

60. They discourse on Al-A'sha and Ghalyan Myah,
On Hassaan and Ibn Abi Salma they discourse.

61. And sometimes on he who crafted "she visited
upon the cheeks the darkness spreads." *****

62. And sometimes on elder Sayyidi****** and his son,
And sometimes on Sayyid Abdullah, and sometimes Harma.*******

63. And sometimes on Ibnul Husayn,******** and on Abu
Ali,********* and on Ash-Shami,******** or on Abu Tamam.********