1. My beloved friends, after you my night grew long
With sorrow - so when shall I see your face at dawn?

2. You dwelt in my heart though it burned with longing for you
Why then did you not take heed of its fire?

3. Since I lost seeing you, I lost my life
Is there in my life with you another youth?

4. My intimacy in your absence turned to desolation
As the world's joy after you turned to gloom

5. And I was deluded by the days of being with you
He who is deluded is unsafe from days

6. My neighbors, though oppressed, oppress their neighbor
From injustice they reaped reward in longing for you

7. My patience has betrayed your love, so seek me out
Whether patient or not, it is right to seek patience

8. Since I left my home, it has become desolate
Parched and grazing - but my Lord sustained it in my absence

9. I yearn for my excuse, though my excuse is clear
For my love's excuse comes from me, excusing

10. When the destined fate separated us
To Egypt captives - though hearts are captive there

11. We traveled, and none revealed our secrets but
The tears of an eye, fearful on the day of parting

12. We left Damascus and its gardens behind
Having found companionship the journey's clothing

13. And we came to the meadow whose unfolding was sweet
Remaining sweetly unfolding from loved ones

14. We journeyed from Rusafa at dawn
So it departed and alighted at its destination by noon

15. Having traversed Tubna to the monastery beyond
And it did not rest until it halted at Bostra

16. We alighted at Dinah and Julabib beyond
And after them Ghudair and the two villages - all

17. Watering places where the clouds had left their rain
We returned from Zaytun, Hisma, and Ayla

18. And passed by 'Uqab which was rugged of ascent
To Qullat al-Ra'i, to Nabi', to

19. Jurwal - though the palms there remain desolate
To an encampment in the meadow of the camel, where

20. Our camels rested at midday with expanded chests
Below Husha, when we stirred our mounts

21. Is water for Moses which has never lacked abundance
There the delegations met us with their righteousness

22. Refreshing us and giving us good tidings
We traversed to the sea of Nada, the sea of Qulzum

23. And he who aims for the sea of bounty crosses oceans
We crossed over him whose sand abounds in generosity

24. And we traversed that sand and bridge
The water of Thamad at 'Ajrud did not show us

25. He who hopes for much will not be content with little
We reached Buwaib and its buildings before

26. The lake of the mountain ridge which brought Egypt near
With resolve not short of glory

27. And our ultimate goal was to see the palace
When we arrived in Egypt in the month of Tuba

28. We attained in justice the Nile in its course
The palaces of Caesar remained humbled

29. Compared to his palace, Kisra's hall was ruined