1. The call of passion appealed to him, so he responded,
And the setback of youth made him persevere,

2. His experience later guided his opinion,
Until he disobeyed the rule of reason and became estranged,

3. His view became pleasant without the excitement of life,
And he had already tasted the flavor of experience, good and bad,

4. He released the reins of reason to passion,
So he went ahead as love desired, unperturbed,

5. His gaze shone with zeal, its brilliance piercing
Through his comrades and horses in the dark night,

6. They were sleeping on their mounts when it awoke them,
So they lifted their eyes and necks toward it,

7. How many men of fortitude beneath that lightning
Conceal the secrets of passion, companions together,

8. While another, the blink of whose eyes complains,
Rends the veil behind the departing travelers,

9. And one whose heart cowers, though his exterior boasts,
Misfortunes and hardships he has never known,

10. Repeating a gaze in the field of tears swimming
And a heart rising with consolation afflicted,

11. If you had probed him in his innermost being,
He would restore the youth of his temples,

12. If you had eavesdropped on the inspiration of his eyes,
You would have studied the evident sorcery in a book,

13. O company who makes the riders depart in haste
Quenched by the valleys, company and riders alike,

14. The guide of passion led them, so they inclined
Toward the plains covered with soft sand,

15. Had they compared themselves to the sand dunes
They would have found my tears more prolific than the clouds,

16. Longing for a land in the low ground, pleasant,
With turtledoves in the aromatics—torment,

17. A scorched, wounded land neglected by them,
Makers who veiled the face of the sky,

18. The lonely stranger's heart softens toward it when dry
With shedding tears that do not cease flowing,

19. The gentle breezes coming to it when they blow
Bring scents and spices in their midst,

20. By God, I implore a heart with sorrows in it—
Are there any sympathizers to be rewarded?

21. Is there beautiful patience in you to rebuild
A heart ruined by beautiful patience?

22. Is there one who heals the bite of my passion's sting
Hoping for its reward from the Healer?

23. Is there a hasty glance whose theft
Relieves one suffering, who tastes no drink?

24. I fool myself with questions, excusing myself,
Though you give no answers to my questions,

25. What is opinion but estrangement, if Mis'ad
Had answered its call to patience?

26. When passion takes hold of opinion, it leaves
Its owner no sound judgment of what he sees,

27. I have wearied of my abode in Iraq, and my friends there
Have wearied me, though they were most companionable,

28. I spent there my life and hand’s yield,
Goods whose account I do not possess,

29. I competed with Mehri and Muhannad in wealth
Until I remained only with a cord and water skin,

30. The noble steeds and garments there wore out
Worn by my noble companions,

31. Those of pure character parted from me in displeasure
At my ambergris—they deemed it foul and became estranged,

32. No visitor enters my presence for a purpose,
Nor do I enter what dwelling I established,

33. No fire of mine in the highlands lights the homesteads,
Nor one who pitches a tent for me in the wild,

34. When I say, “I have found a companion,”
He proves false when I draw near and eludes me,

35. I turn my eyes and see none but a companion
I deemed sincere—but he failed me,

36. How can I remain in Iraq when its soft breeze
Has become torment for me there?

37. It is a land whose people were not created most noble
Or generous, and whose roots did not grow firm,

38. The mother of virtues did not bring renown there with glory
Nor did the breast of chastity nurture heroes,

39. Seekers of them, when research examined them,
Showed you a cowering fox and wolves,

40. If you were with them when events exposed
Their foul nature, they were effeminate and cowardly,

41. I leave them without regret at parting from them
Or inclination toward Iraq to return,

42. Strange that the caliphate has not seen
My right to be rewarded or requited,

43. Nor heeded my long advice and service—
That I risk or tame adversity—

44. By my life, I surely gave it sincere advice,
Expending my capacity, but it was spurned,

45. Would that my advice were deceit and obedience
Hypocrisy, my loyalty in devotion false,

46. Just as my hopes became delusions and service
Futile, exertion disappointment and confusion,

47. Would that I had joined a company there
Whom I left angry at me, provoked,

48. Is Zureiq, who did not fear my reproach,
Apprehensive of blame? The vile fear no reproach!

49. He was stubborn toward me, turning a blind eye,
Fearing no piercing arrows of sharp rebuke,

50. I remained true to a pact between us, between stations in Egypt—
Discourse—and had he been attributed truth,

51. The claws of eagles would have clung
To his limbs as carrion—does he aspire

52. To the loyalty of the Commander of the Faithful with a claim
So patently false? By my life!

53. I did not leave my land willingly at all,
Nor was my soul content without it as refuge,

54. But the burdens of authority jolted
My mount, and fate brings tribulations,

55. I attend to one matter while the nights return me,
I gather myself up while events disperse me,

56. May God water its plains when the scent of its breezes
Has perfumed them, and the shade of windswept trees melts away,

57. May He prosper its land while the valleys are barren,
Scarce to saturate its soil,

58. May He make melodious its song, sweet its water,
Spacious its horizons for visitors,

59. Beautiful its dwellings amidst it and homes around it,
Fertile its basins and plateaus,

60. May God ordain relief after absence
And conclude with favor, opening a door!