1. حَلَلنا آمِنينَ بِخَيرِ عَيشٍ

    وَلَم يَشعُرُ بِنا واشٍ يَكيدُ

    We dwelt secure, enjoying the best of life,

    and no scheming talebearer knew of us.

  2. وَلَم نَشعُر بِجِدِّ البَينِ حَتّى

    أَجَدَّ البَينَ سَيّارٌ عَنودُ

    Nor did we sense that parting was in earnest, until

    a headstrong traveler made the parting real,

  3. وَحَتّى قيلَ قَوَّضَ آلُ بِشرٍ

    وَجاءَهُم بِبَينِهُمُ البَريدُ

    and until it was said, 'Bishr's household has struck camp,'

    and the courier brought them word of their departure.

  4. وَأَبرَزَتِ الهَوادِجُ ناعِماتٍ

    عَلَيهِنَّ المَجاسِد وَالعُقودُ

    And the howdahs revealed delicate women,

    wearing dyed robes and necklaces.

  5. فَلَمّا وَدَّعونا وَاِستَقَلَّت

    بِهِم قُلُصٌ هَواديهِنَّ قودُ

    Then, when they bade us farewell and were borne away

    by young she-camels with long necks,

  6. كَتَمتُ عَواذِلي ما في فُؤادي

    وَقُلتُ لَهُنَّ لَيتَهُمُ بَعيدُ

    I hid what lay in my heart from the women who reproached me,

    and said to them, 'If only they were far away!'

  7. فَجالَت عَبرَةٌ أَشفَقتُ مِنها

    تَسيلُ كَأَنَّ واِبِلَها فَريدُ

    Then a tear welled up, to my alarm,

    flowing as though its shower were unstrung pearls.

  8. فَقالوا قَد جَزِعتَ فَقُلتُ كَلّا

    وَهَل يَبكي مِن الطَرَبِ الجَليدُ

    They said, 'You have given way to grief!' I said, 'No!

    And would a steadfast man weep from emotion?

  9. وَلكِنّي أَصابَ سَوادَ عَيني

    عُوَيدُ قَذىً لَهُ طَرَفٌ حَديدُ

    But the pupil of my eye was struck

    by a speck—a tiny splinter with a sharp point.'

  10. فَقالوا ما لِدَمعِهِما سَواءٌ

    أَكِلتا مُقلَتَيكَ أَصابَ عودُ

    They said, 'Why do both eyes weep alike?

    Did a twig strike both your eyes?

  11. لَقَبلَ دُموعِ عَينِكَ خَبَّرتَنا

    بِما جَمجَمتَ زَفرَتُكَ الصَعودُ

    Even before your eye shed tears, we were told

    by your rising sigh what you kept concealed.

  12. فَقُم وَاِنظُر يَزِدكَ مِطالَ شَوقٍ

    هُنالكَ مَنظَرٌ مِنهُم بَعيدُ

    So rise and look: your longing will be prolonged

    by a distant glimpse of them over there.'