1. رأى صَحبي بِكاظِمَةٍ

    سَنا نارٍ عَلى بُعدِ

    My companions saw at Kazima

    the glow of a fire in the distance.

  2. وَفيمَنْ يَستَضيءُ بِها

    فَتاةٌ صَلْتَةُ الخَدِّ

    And among those who take light from it

    is a smooth-cheeked maiden.

  3. وَتُذكيها عَلى خَفَرٍ

    بِأَعوادٍ مِنَ الرَّندِ

    And bashfully she feeds it

    with sticks of laurel.

  4. هيَ الخَودُ الَّتي فَرَعَتْ

    بِقَيسٍ ذِروَةَ المَجدِ

    She is the lovely maiden who has scaled

    with Qays the summit of glory.

  5. تُواري الأَرضَ إِن خَطَرَتْ

    بِذاكَ الفاحِمِ الجَعْدِ

    She veils the ground when she walks gracefully

    with that jet-black, curly hair.

  6. وَقَد أَرِجَتْ مَواطِئها

    برَيّا العَنبَرِ الوَردِ

    And her footprints have grown fragrant

    with the scent of rose-hued ambergris.

  7. وَنَجدٌ دارُها وَبِهِ

    شَبا الخَطِّيَّةِ المُلْدِ

    And Najd is her home, and there

    are the points of supple Khatti spears.

  8. وَبي شَوقٌ تُلَقِّحُهُ

    تَباريحٌ مِنَ الوَجدِ

    And within me is longing, quickened by

    the agonies of passionate love.

  9. وَيُبكيني تَذَكُّرُهُ

    فَيا لَهَفي عَلى نَجدِ

    And remembering it makes me weep—

    so, how I ache for Najd!