1. What is this yearning that haunts me still
Chained by love I wander, rapt and ill

2. Your glances pierce me, yet I conceal
All that your eyes inflict and I should feel

3. To hide this love is wrong, I know full well
Yet speak of it openly? I never will

4. Deny this love for Sa’da? Nay, not I
Though in this world of lies I may deny

5. Seductive, she is chaste and virtuous
Her intimacy a treasure glorious

6. Allah clothed her in shyness like a gown
And beauty that makes her modesty renown

7. Since she wore the full moon's perfection whole
I waste to a crescent to mirror her soul

8. Her slender waist makes me pine and languish
And she tempts me with her flirtatious languish

9. With her I have no share of sin or grace
For she admits no law, neither haram nor halal

10. Swaying like a branch, her eyes pierce mine
Gazing like a deer, shyly divine

11. Her saliva seems a pure sweet stream
Flowing from her mouth like water, gleam

12. Chide me no more, o you who blame!
For nothing now can hide love's flame

13. You chide though she owns my soul, my all
I live for loving her, none else at all

14. No cure exists for love, this malady
That lays even heroes low, ceaselessly

15. Loving Sa'da now holds me heart and soul
Despite the loss of peace love's sorrows toll

16. What peace for me, crazed with passion's heat?
Fires of love burn on, bitter and sweet

17. Pause, my friend, pause and wipe your tears
On the edge of this ruin, midst crumbling spears

18. Where exotic ruins no more sustain
Familiar shapes, only the name remain

19. Bearing their burden, the people plod on
Far fairer once, their beauty now gone

20. Their cheeks are ships worn down by the tide
That only after much travail may glide

21. Their eyes were suns, now dimmed and faded
In sockets where once bright stars paraded

22. Their steeds grew old, and could barely stand
Bony now, no longer built for the sand

23. My youth is gone, and everything fades
Glory itself diminishes with age

24. But my white hair is a luminous crown
Protection from sickness that weighs men down

25. I see this world treats us as nurslings still
Fickle, dividing loved ones at her will

26. Greedily we court her, hoping for more
Yet she rewards us with hunger and sore

27. Oh where are the nights I pine for in vain
That once brought comfort, solace and rain?

28. We fall from great heights to the pits below
Where our cries are muted, no matter our woe

29. Villainy flourishes, freed of its reins
Madness multiply, reason declines

30. The noble and free now know only loss
While mean ones triumph at every cross

31. Who will mourn me when I am gone into night?
Who stay loyal to me and do what is right?

32. My legs lack strength to finish the course
The will to continue, the knees and the force

33. For love of Sa'ada my heart is torn, ripped by pain
I set the skies ablaze, fevered and insane

34. Flashing with kindness sincere and complete
Our lord the king, glory made concrete

35. Though lean the year, yet his springs overflow
With bounty, surrounding his bright visage in glow

36. His noble mien is ringed with a light
That circles a brilliance with brilliance bedight

37. His mouth seems a cistern that gently spills
Kindness and wisdom in copious rills

38. Hatim's generosity, renowned in song
Defeated Amr ibn Kulthum, made him long

39. Lord of virtue, a man of principle and honor
Open of hand, with wealth beyond measure

40. His glory is perfected now, nothing lacks
He climbs ever upwards to what fortune attacks

41. A sword like none, ever aspiring ahead
To perform great deeds and exalt what is said

42. A lion in battle, no lair to his name
Only the sword and the field where men gain fame

43. War leader whose grinding campaigns relate
Epic contests for triumph and fate

44. When his knights charge forth, their collision astounds
The neighing of chargers melds into its sounds

45. O Akhlan ibn Hafiz! Would that I knew the rhymes
To first sing your praises, building through time

46. But other praise turned me from your renown
I fell to base ways, forgetting your crown

47. I shed my face in tears, begging your grace
Though gifts you bestow no beggar can place

48. The boon of your hand leaves me wealthy, complete
I cease now to long for your gifts, sweet and neat

49. Your kindness excels, as the right hand prevails
Over the left hand, so your glory regales

50. No verse describes you, no words can equate
To your grandeur, beyond all speaking and state

51. He also said:
Al-Wafir meter

52. What is this yearning that haunts me still
Chained by love I wander, rapt and ill

53. Your glances pierce me, yet I conceal
All that your eyes inflict and I should feel

54. To hide this love is wrong, I know full well
Yet speak of it openly? I never will

55. Deny this love for Sa’da? Nay, not I
Though in this world of lies I may deny

56. Seductive, she is chaste and virtuous
Her intimacy a treasure glorious

57. Allah clothed her in shyness like a gown
And beauty that makes her modesty renown

58. Since she wore the full moon's perfection whole
I waste to a crescent to mirror her soul

59. Her slender waist makes me pine and languish
And she tempts me with her flirtatious languish

60. With her I have no share of sin or grace
For she admits no law, neither haram nor halal

61. Swaying like a branch, her eyes pierce mine
Gazing like a deer, shyly divine

62. Her saliva seems a pure sweet stream
Flowing from her mouth like water, gleam

63. Chide me no more, o you who blame!
For nothing now can hide love's flame

64. You chide though she owns my soul, my all
I live for loving her, none else at all

65. No cure exists for love, this malady
That lays even heroes low, ceaselessly

66. Loving Sa'da now holds me heart and soul
Despite the loss of peace love's sorrows toll

67. What peace for me, crazed with passion's heat?
Fires of love burn on, bitter and sweet

68. Pause, my friend, pause and wipe your tears
On the edge of this ruin, midst crumbling spears

69. Where exotic ruins no more sustain
Familiar shapes, only the name remain

70. Bearing their burden, the people plod on
Far fairer once, their beauty now gone

71. Their cheeks are ships worn down by the tide
That only after much travail may glide

72. Their eyes were suns, now dimmed and faded
In sockets where once bright stars paraded

73. Their steeds grew old, and could barely stand
Bony now, no longer built for the sand

74. My youth is gone, and everything fades
Glory itself diminishes with age

75. But my white hair is a luminous crown
Protection from sickness that weighs men down

76. I see this world treats us as nurslings still
Fickle, dividing loved ones at her will

77. Greedily we court her, hoping for more
Yet she rewards us with hunger and sore

78. Oh where are the nights I pine for in vain
That once brought comfort, solace and rain?

79. We fall from great heights to the pits below
Where our cries are muted, no matter our woe

80. Villainy flourishes, freed of its reins
Madness multiply, reason declines

81. The noble and free now know only loss
While mean ones triumph at every cross

82. Who will mourn me when I am gone into night?
Who stay loyal to me and do what is right?

83. My legs lack strength to finish the course
The will to continue, the knees and the force

84. For love of Sa'ada my heart is torn, ripped by pain
I set the skies ablaze, fevered and insane

85. Flashing with kindness sincere and complete
Our lord the king, glory made concrete

86. Though lean the year, yet his springs overflow
With bounty, surrounding his bright visage in glow

87. His noble mien is ringed with a light
That circles a brilliance with brilliance bedight

88. His mouth seems a cistern that gently spills
Kindness and wisdom in copious rills

89. Hatim's generosity, renowned in song
Defeated Amr ibn Kulthum, made him long

90. Lord of virtue, a man of principle and honor
Open of hand, with wealth beyond measure

91. His glory is perfected now, nothing lacks
He climbs ever upwards to what fortune attacks

92. A sword like none, ever aspiring ahead
To perform great deeds and exalt what is said

93. A lion in battle, no lair to his name
Only the sword and the field where men gain fame

94. War leader whose grinding campaigns relate
Epic contests for triumph and fate

95. When his knights charge forth, their collision astounds
The neighing of chargers melds into its sounds

96. O Akhlan ibn Hafiz! Would that I knew the rhymes
To first sing your praises, building through time

97. But other praise turned me from your renown
I fell to base ways, forgetting your crown

98. I shed my face in tears, begging your grace
Though gifts you bestow no beggar can place

99. The boon of your hand leaves me wealthy, complete
I cease now to long for your gifts, sweet and neat

100. Your kindness excels, as the right hand prevails
Over the left hand, so your glory regales

101. No verse describes you, no words can equate
To your grandeur, beyond all speaking and state