1. أَمِنكِ أُمِيمُ الدّارُ غَيَّرَها البِلى

    وَهَيفٌ بِجَولاَنِ التُّرَابِ لَعُوبُ

    Is this your dwelling, Umaym, altered by decay

    and a hot wind playing with the swirling dust?

  2. بَسَابِسُ لَم يُصبِح وَلَم يُمسِ ثاوِياً

    بِها بَعدَ جِدِّ البَينِ مِنكِ عَرِيبُ

    Bare wastes, where neither morning nor evening finds

    a soul dwelling after your final departure,

  3. سِوَى عَازفاتٍ يَنتَحِبنَ معَ الصَّدَى

    كَما رَجَّعَت جُوفٌ لهُنَّ ثُقُوبُ

    save singing spirits wailing with the echo,

    like hollow, pierced pipes sounding their refrain.

  4. ظَلِلتُ بها أُذرِى الدُّمُوعَ كَما صَرَى

    بِغَر بَينِ مِن خَرزِ العَراقِ شَعِيبُ

    I stayed there shedding tears, as water flows

    from a waterskin through gaps in its Iraqi stitching.

  5. دِيارُ الّتى هاجَرتُ عَصراً ولِلهَوَى

    بلُبِّى إِلَيها قائدٌ ومُهِيبُ

    The dwellings of her whom I forsook a while; yet love

    has in my heart a guide and driver toward her.

  6. أَذُودُ ارتداعُ الوُدِّ لا خَشيةَ الرّدَى

    صَدَى هامَتِى عَمّا إِلَيهِ تَلُوبُ

    I restrain, checked by love, not fearing death,

    my skull's thirsty owl from what it circles.

  7. لِيَغلِبَ حُبِّها عَزائى وَإِنَّنِي

    لِصَبرِى إِذا غالَبتُهُ لَغَلُوبُ

    Let her love overcome my resolve, although I

    surely overcome my patience whenever I wrestle with it.

  8. وَتَسلَمَ مِن قَولِ الوُشاةِ وإِنَّنِى

    لَهُم حِينَ يَغتَابُونَها لَذَبُوبُ

    And may she escape the slanderers' words; indeed I

    repel them whenever they speak ill of her.

  9. أُمَيمَ لِقَلبِي مِن هَوَاكِ ضَمانَةٌ

    وَأَنتِ لَها لَو تَعلَمِينَ طَبيبُ

    Umaym, my heart suffers an illness from loving you,

    and you, if you knew, are its physician.

  10. أُمَيمَ لَقَد عَنَّيتِنى وَأَرَيتِنِى

    بَدَائعَ أَخلاَقٍ لهُنَّ ضُرُوبُ

    Umaym, you have indeed tormented me and shown me

    strange ways of conduct, of many kinds.

  11. فَارتَاحُ أَحياناً وَحِيناً كأَنَّمَا

    عَلَى كَبِدِى ماضِى الشَّباةِ ذَرِيبُ

    Sometimes I rejoice, and sometimes it seems

    a keen, sharp-edged blade lies upon my liver.

  12. فَقُلتُ خَيَالٌ مِن أُمَيمَةَ هَاجَنى

    وَذُو الشَّوقِ للطَّيفِ المُلِمِّ طَرُوبُ

    I said, 'An apparition of Umayma has stirred me;

    one who yearns is moved by a visiting phantom.'

  13. فَقالُوا تَجَلَّد إِنَّ ذَاكَ عَرَامَةٌ

    وَمَا فِى البُكا لِلوَاجِدينَ نَصِيبُ

    They said, 'Be steadfast: that is unruliness;

    those who yearn gain nothing from weeping.'

  14. وَمَا مَاءُ مُزنٍ فى حُجَيلاَءَ دُونَها

    مَنَاكِبُ مِن ثُمِّ الذُّرَا وَلُهُوبُ

    Nor is rainwater in Hujayla, below which

    lie slopes of rounded summits and ravines,

  15. صَفَا فِى ظِلاَلٍ بَارِد وَتَطَلَّعَت

    بِهِ فُرُطٌ يَقتَادُهُنَّ جَنُوبُ

    clear in cool shade, while there rise

    above it leading clouds driven by a south wind—

  16. مُعَسكَرُ دَلاّحٍ مَرَت وَدَقَاتِهِ

    صَباً بَعدَ مَا هَبَّت لَهُنَّ جَنُوبُ

    a gathering of laden clouds, whose drops were drawn out

    by an east wind after a south wind blew upon them—

  17. بِأَطيبَ مِن فِيها مَذَاقاً وإِنَّى

    بِشَيمِى إذا أَبصَرتُهُ لَطَبِيبُ

    sweeter in taste than her mouth; and I

    am surely expert at judging it when I see it.

  18. هَنِيئاً لِعُودِ الضَّروِ شَهدٌ يَنالُهُ

    عَلَى خَصِراتٍ رِيقُهنَّ عَذُوبُ

    Blessed is the terebinth twig for the honey it obtains

    upon cool mouths whose saliva is sweet.

  19. وَمَنصِبُها حَمشٌ أَحَمُّ يَزِينُهُ

    عَوارضُ فِيها شُنبَةٌ وغُرُوبُ

    Its resting-place is slender and dark, adorned

    by teeth with cool freshness and fine edges,

  20. بما قَد تَسَقَّى مِن سُلافٍ وَضَمَّهُ

    بَنانٌ كَهُدّابِ الدِّقسِ خَضِيبُ

    with the pure juice it has drunk, while it is clasped

    by dyed fingers like fringes of silk.

  21. أُحِبُّ هُبوطَ الوادِيَينِ وإِنَّنى

    لَمُستَهتَرٌ بِالوادِيَينِ غَرِيبُ

    I love descending into the two valleys; indeed I

    am a stranger utterly infatuated with the two valleys.

  22. وقالت أما واللهِ لَولاَ اشتِهارُكُم

    وَجَنيِ عليكَ الذَّنبَ حِينَ تَغِيبُ

    She said, 'By God, were it not for your notoriety

    and my laying blame on you when you are absent,

  23. لَمَا شَمِلَ الأَحشاءُ مِنكَ عَلاقَةً

    ولا زُرتَنا إِلاّ وأَنتَ تَطِيبُ

    my breast would never have harbored affection for you,

    nor would you visit us without finding pleasure.'

  24. أَحقّاً عِبادَ اللهِ أَن لَستُ صادِراً

    وَلا وارداً إِلاَّ عَلَىَّ رَقِيبُ

    Is it true, servants of God, that I never depart

    or arrive without a watcher over me?

  25. ولا ناظراً إِلاّ وَطَرفِىَ دُونَهُ

    بَعيدُ المَراقِى فِى السَّماءِ مَهِيبُ

    Nor do I look without there standing before my gaze

    an awe-inspiring one, far aloft in the heavens.

  26. وَلاَ مَاشِياً وَحدِى وَلاَ فِى جَمَاعةٍ

    مِنَ النَّاسِ إِلاّ قِيلَ أنتَ مُرِيبُ

    Nor do I walk alone or among a company

    of people without being told, 'You are suspicious.'

  27. وهَل رِيبةٌ فِى أَن تَحِنَّ نَجِيبةٌ

    إِلَى إِلفِهَا أَو أَن يَحِنَّ نَجِيبُ

    Is it suspicious for a noble she-camel to yearn

    for her companion, or for a noble camel to yearn?

  28. لَكِ اللهُ إِنّى وَاصِلٌ ما وَصَلتِنِى

    وَمُثنٍ بمَا أَولَيتنِى وَمثِيبُ

    God be with you: I maintain our bond while you maintain it,

    praising what you have bestowed on me and repaying it.

  29. وآخُذُ ما اَعطَيتِ عَفواً وَإِنَّنِى

    لأَزوَرُ عَمَا تَكرَهِينَ هَيُوبُ

    I take what you freely give, and indeed I

    turn away in awe from whatever you dislike.

  30. فَلاَ تَترُكِي نَفسِي شَعَاعاً فإِنَّها

    مِنَ الوَجدِ قَد كادَت عَلَيكِ تَذُوبُ

    Do not leave my soul scattered, for it

    has nearly melted away from yearning for you.

  31. أُحِبُّكِ أَطرَافَ النَّهَارِ بَشَاشَةً

    وَفِى اللَّيلِ يَدعُونِى الهَوَى فَأجِيبُ

    I love you joyfully at the day's two ends;

    at night love calls me, and I answer.

  32. وَلَمَّا رأَيتُ الهَجرَ أَبقَى مَوَدَّةً

    وَطَارَت لأَضغَانٍ عَلَىَّ قُلُوبُ

    When I saw that separation better preserved affection,

    and hearts flew into rancor against me,

  33. هَجَرتُ اجِتنَاباً غَيرَ بِغضِ وَلاَقِلىً

    اُمَيمَةُ مَهجُورٌ إِليَّ حَبِيبُ

    I withdrew to avoid trouble, not from hatred or aversion;

    Umayma, though forsaken, is dear to me.

  34. وَنُبِّئتُهَا قَالَت وَبَينِي وَبَينَهَا

    مَهَامِهُ غُبرٌ ما بِهِنَّ غَرِيبُ

    I was told that she said—between me and her

    lie dusty wildernesses with no stranger in them—

  35. عَذرتُكَ مِن هَذَا الَّذِى مَرّ لَم يَعُج

    عَلَينا فَيجزِينَا وَنَحنُ قَرِيبُ

    'I excused you concerning this man who passed without turning

    toward us to requite us, though we were near.'

  36. فَقُلتُ لهُ لاَ تَألُ هَلاَّ عَذَرتَنِى

    إِلَيهَا فَقَد حَلَّت عَلَىَّ ذُنُوبُ

    I told him, 'Spare no effort: why did you not excuse me

    to her? For accusations have fallen upon me.'

  37. أُمَيمُ أَهُونٌ بى عَلَيكِ وَقَد بَدَا

    بِجِسمىَ مَمَّا تَزدَرينَ شُحُوبُ

    Umaym, am I of little account to you, though there has appeared

    upon my body a pallor from what you disdain?

  38. فَقالَ لَهَا يَا أَملَحَ النّاسِ رَاكِبٌ

    بِهِ شَعَثٌ بَادٍ بِهِ وَشُحُوبُ

    A rider said to her, 'O fairest of people,'

    with dishevelment and pallor plain upon him:

  39. صُدُوداً وإعرَاضاً كأنّىً مُذنِبٌ

    وَمَا كانَ لِي إِلاّ هَوَاكِ ذُنُوبُ

    'Shunning and turning away, as though I were guilty!

    Yet my only sins have been my love for you.

  40. لَعَمرِى لَئِن أَولَيتِنى مِنكِ جَفوَةً

    وَشَبَّ هَوَى قَلبِى إِلَيكِ شَبُوبُ

    By my life, if you have bestowed estrangement upon me,

    while my heart's love for you blazes fiercely,

  41. وَطَاوَعتِ بى قوماً عِدَىً أن تَظاهَرُوا

    عَلَىَّ بقَولِ السُّوءِ حِينَ أَغِيبُ

    and have sided against me with enemies who join together

    to speak ill of me when I am absent,

  42. لَبِئسَ إِذَن عَونُ الخَلِيلِ أَعَنتِني

    عَلَى نَائِبَاتِ الدَّهرِ حِينَ تَنُوبُ

    then what poor help you have given your beloved

    against time's calamities when they befall him!

  43. فإِن لَم تَرَى مِنّى عَليكِ فَتَحمَدِى

    وَفِى اللهِ قَاضٍ بَينَنَا وَحَسِيبُ

    If you see nothing from me deserving your gratitude—

    and God is judge between us and reckoner—

  44. ذِمَاماً إِذا طَاوعتِ بى قَولَ كاشِحٍ

    مِنَ الغَيظِ يَفرِى كِذبَهُ وَيَعِيبُ

    no pledge, when you heed against me a spiteful man's words,

    who in rage fabricates his lies and finds fault.

  45. وإِنّى لأَستَحِييكِ حَتّى كأَنَّمَا

    عَلَىَّ بِظَهرِ الغَيبِ مِنكِ رَقِيبُ

    I am so bashful before you that it is as though

    a watcher from you watches me even in your absence,

  46. حِذَارَ القِلَى وَالصَّرمِ مِنكِ فَإنَّنى

    عَلَى العَهدِ مَادَاومَتِنى لَصَلِيبُ

    for fear of your aversion and severance; indeed I

    am steadfast in our pledge while you remain true to me.

  47. فَيَا حَسَرَاتِ النَّفسِ مِن غُربَةِ الهَوَى

    إِذَا اقتَسَمَتنَا نِيّةٌ وَشَعُوبُ

    Alas for the soul's regrets at love's estrangement,

    when a distant destination and Death divide us!

  48. وَمِن خَطَرَاتٍ تَعتَرِينِى وَزَفرَةٍ

    لَها بَينَ لَحمِى وَالعِظَامِ دَبِيبُ

    And for thoughts that assail me, and a sigh

    that creeps between my flesh and bones!

  49. أَصُدُّ وَبِى مِثلُ الجُنُونِ مِنَ الهَوَى

    وَأَهجُرُ لَيلَى العَصرَ ثُمَّ أُنِيبُ

    I turn away, with something like madness from love within me,

    and forsake Layla a while, then return.

  50. إِذا أَكثَرَ الكُرهَ المُحَبُّ وَلَم يَكُن

    لَهُ عِلَلٌ كادَ المُحَبُّ يَريبُ

    When the beloved shows much aversion, without

    any excuses, the beloved nearly arouses suspicion.

  51. وَقَد جَعَلَت رَيّا الجَنُوبِ إِذَا جَرَت

    عَلَى طِيبِهَا تَندَى لَنَا وَتَطِيبُ

    The south wind's fragrance, whenever it passes, has begun

    to bring us dew and sweetness with its perfume.

  52. جَنُوبٌ بِرَيّا مِن أُمَيمَةَ تَغتَدِى

    حِجَازِيَّةً عُلوِيَّةً وَتَؤُوبُ

    A south wind bearing Umayma's fragrance goes forth at dawn,

    Hijazi and highland, and returns.

  53. تَهِيجُ عَلَىَّ الشَوقَ بَعدَ اندِمالِهِ

    يَمَانِيَةٌ عُلوِيَّةٌ وَجَنُوبُ

    It stirs my longing after its wound has healed:

    a Yemeni highland breeze, a south wind.

  54. أَحِنُّ إِلَى الرَّملِ اليَمانِى صَبَابَةً

    وَهَذَا لَعَمرِى لَو رَضِيتُ كَثِيبُ

    I yearn passionately for the Yemeni sands;

    and here, by my life, is a dune, if I would be content.

  55. فأَينَ الأَرَاكُ الدَّوحُ وَالسِّدرُ وَالغَضَى

    ومُستَخبَرٌ مِمَّن تُحِبُّ قَرِيبُ

    But where are the spreading arak trees, the lote trees, the ghada,

    and someone nearby to ask for news of those you love?

  56. وإِنَّ النَّسِيمَ العَذبَ مِن نَحوِ أَرضِهَا

    يَجِىءُ مَرِيضاً صَوبُهُ فَيَطِيبُ

    The sweet breeze coming from the direction of her land

    arrives faintly, its course growing fragrant.

  57. وإِنّى لأَرعَى النَّجمَ حَتّى كأَنَّنِى

    عَلَى كُلِّ نَجمٍ فِى السَّماءِ رَقِيبُ

    I watch the stars until it is as though I

    am a watcher over every star in the sky.

  58. وأشتَاقُ لِلبَرقِ اليَمانِى إِذَا غَدَا

    وَأَزدَادُ شَوقاً أَن تَهُبَّ جَنُوبُ

    I yearn for Yemeni lightning when it appears at dawn,

    and my longing grows when a south wind blows.

  59. وَبالحَقلِ مِن صَنعَاءَ كانَ مَطافُهَأ

    كَذُوباً وَأَهوَالُ المَنَامِ كَذُوبُ

    Her phantom's visit was in al-Haql near Sana'a,

    deceptive; the terrors of dreams are deceptive.

  60. أَلَمَّت وَايدِى النَّجمِ خُوصٌ عَلَى الشَّفَا

    وَقَد كانَ مِن سُلاّفِهنَّ غُرُوبُ

    She visited as the stars' arms dwindled at the horizon's brink,

    and some of their forerunners had already set.

  61. وَرَيدَةُ ذَاتِ الحَقلِ بَينِى وَبَينَهَأ

    سَرَى لَيلةً سَارٍ إِلىَّ حَبِيبُ

    With Rayda of al-Haql between me and her,

    a beloved traveler came to me one night.

  62. فَنَبَّهتُ مِطوَىَّ اللَّذينِ كِلاهُما

    يُلَبِّينِ عِندَ المُفظِعاتِ مُجِيبُ

    I roused my two folded companions, each of whom

    answers me when dreadful events demand an answer.

  63. جَفَتهُ الفَوَالِى بَعدَ حِينٍ وَلاَحَهُ

    شُموسٌ لأَلوَانِ الرِّجَالِ صَهُوبُ

    The delousing women shunned him after a time; he was scorched

    by suns that turn men's complexions tawny,

  64. وَطُولُ احتِضانِ السَّيفِ حَتَّى بِمَنكِبى

    أَخادِيدُ مِن آثَارِهِ وَنُدُوبُ

    and by long embracing the sword, until upon my shoulder

    were furrows from its marks and scars,

  65. وإرجَافُ جَمعٍ بَعدَ جَمع وَغَابَةٍ

    صَبَاحَ مَسَاءَ لِلجَنَانِ رَعُوب

    and by the alarming advance of host after host, and a thicket,

    morning and evening, terrifying the heart.

  66. وَقَد جَعَلَ الوَاشُونَ عَمداً لَيَعلَمُوا

    أَلِي مِنكِ أَم لاَ ياأُمَيمَ نَصِيبُ

    The slanderers have deliberately set about discovering

    whether I have a share in you, Umaym, or not.

  67. أُمَيمَ انصِبى عَينَيكِ نَحوِى تَبَيَّنِى

    بِجِسمِىَ مِمَّا تَفعَلِينَ شُحُوبُ

    Umaym, fix your eyes upon me and discern

    the pallor in my body caused by what you do.

  68. أَذَاهِبةٌ نَبلِى شَعاعاً وَلَم يَكن

    لَها مِن ظِباءِ الوَادِيَينِ نَصِيبُ

    Are my arrows to scatter fruitlessly, without

    winning a share of the gazelles of the two valleys?

  69. فإِنَّ الكثِيبَ الفَردَ مِن جَانِبِ الحِمَى

    إِلىَّ وَإِن لَم آتِهِ لَحَبِيبُ

    The solitary dune beside the protected pasture

    is dear to me, even though I do not visit it.

  70. وَإِنّى عَلَى رَغمِ العُدَاةِ بِأَنقُعٍ

    شِفَاءً لِحَومَاتِ الصَّدَى لَشَرُوبُ

    Despite my enemies, I am surely one who drinks at pools,

    seeking a cure for the surges of thirst.

  71. عَلُولٌ بها مِنهَا نَهُولٌ وَإنَّنِى

    بِنَفسِىَ عَن مَطرُوقِهَا لَرغُوبُ

    I drink there again, and take my first draught from them; yet I

    guard myself by shunning their frequented water.

  72. مَجِيبٌ لِدَاعٍ مِن أُمَيمَةَ إِن دَعَا

    سِوَاهَا بِقَولِ السَّائِلينَ ذَهُوبُ

    I answer a caller from Umayma if he calls,

    but turn away from others and the words of petitioners.

  73. تَلِجّينَ حَتّى يُزرِىَ الهَجرُ بالهَوَى

    وحَتّى تَكادَ النَّفسُ عَنكِ تَطِيبُ

    You persist until separation diminishes love,

    and my soul nearly becomes content without you.

  74. يَحُمنَ حِيامَ الهِيمِ لَم تَلقَ شَافِياً

    أََثَابَ النُّفُوسَ الحائماتِ مُثِيبُ

    They circle like thirst-stricken camels, finding no healer;

    has a giver rewarded the circling souls?

  75. وَلَو أَنَّ ما بى بالحَصَى قَلِقَ الحَصَى

    وَبالرّيحِ لم يُسمَع لَهُنَّ هُبُوبُ

    Were what afflicts me in the pebbles, the pebbles would stir;

    and were it in the winds, no blowing of theirs would be heard.

  76. وَلَو أَنّنِى أَستَغفِرُ اللهَ كُلَّمَا

    ذَكَرتُكِ لَم تُكتَب عَلَىَّ ذُنُوبُ

    If I sought God's forgiveness whenever

    I remembered you, no sins would be recorded against me.

  77. أَمُستَكبَرٌ مَمشَاىَ إِن جِئتُ زَائراً

    إِلَيكُم وَمَعقُودٌ عَلَىَّ ذُنوبُ

    Is my walking to you deemed presumptuous if I come visiting

    you, and are sins fastened upon me?

  78. دَعُونِى أَرِد حِسىَ ابنِ زَيدٍ فإِنَّهُ

    هُوَ العَذبُ يَحلَو لِى لَنَا وَيَطِيبُ

    Let me drink at Ibn Zayd's waterhole, for it

    is the sweet water, delicious to me, to us, and pleasant.

  79. أُمَيمَ احذَرِى نَقضَ القُوَى لاَ يَزَل لَنَا

    عَلى النَّاىِ والهِجرَانِ مِنكِ نَصِيبُ

    Umaym, beware of undoing the strands; let there remain to us

    a share in you despite distance and estrangement.

  80. وَكُونِى عَلَى الوَاشِينَ لَدّاءَ شَغبةً

    كما أَنَا لِلوَاشِى أَلَدُّ شَغُوبُ

    Be fiercely contentious with the slanderers,

    as I am fiercely contentious with the slanderer.

  81. أَلاَ يا أُمِيمَ القَلبِ دَامَ لَكِ الغِنَى

    فَما ساعَةٌ إِلاّ عَلَىَّ رقِيبُ

    O Umaym of my heart, may prosperity remain yours;

    not an hour passes without a watcher over me:

  82. أَسِيرٌ صَغِيرٌ أَو كَبِيرٌ مُجَرِّبٌ

    اَم آخَر يَرمِى بالظَّنُونِ مُرِيبُ

    a young captive, or an old, experienced man,

    or another suspicious man casting conjectures.

  83. فَلاَ تَمنَحِينى البُخلِ مِنكِ وتَعجَلِى

    عَلَىَّ بِأمرٍ لَم يَكُن بِذُنُوبِ

    Do not bestow your stinginess upon me, or hasten

    against me over something that was no sin.

  84. أَمَا والّذِى يَبلُو السَّرَائرَ كُلَّهَا

    فَيَعلَم ما يَبدُو لَه وَيَغِيبُ

    By Him who tests all the hidden secrets,

    and knows what appears to Him and what is concealed,

  85. لَقَد كُنتِ مِمَّن تَصطَفِى النَّفسُ خُلَّةً

    لَهَا دُونَ خُلاّتِ الصَّفاءِ نَصِيبُ

    you were among those whom the soul chooses as a companion,

    with a share beyond other companions of sincere affection.

  86. وَلَكن تَجَنَّيتِ الذُّنُوبَ وَمَن يُرِد

    يَجُذُّ القُوَى تُقدَر عَلَيهِ ذُنُوبُ

    But you invented faults; whoever wishes

    to cut the strands can have faults imputed to him.

  87. بِنَفسِى وَأَهلِى مَن إِذا عَرَضُوا لَهُ

    بِبَعضِ الاََذَى لَم يَدرِ كَيفَ يُجِيبُ

    I would ransom with myself and my family one who, when they confront him

    with some hurt, does not know how to answer,

  88. ولم يَعتَذِر عُذرَ البَرىءِ وَلَم يَزَل

    بِهِ صَعقَةٌ حتّى يُقالَ مُريبُ

    and does not offer an innocent person's excuse, but remains

    stricken until they say, 'Suspicious!'

  89. لَقَد ظَلَمُوا ذاتَ الوِشاحِ وَلَم يَكُن

    لَنا فى هَوَى ذاتِ الوِشاحِ نَصِيبُ

    They have wronged the woman of the sash, though

    we had no share in loving the woman of the sash.

  90. يَقُولون لا يُمسى الغَرِيبُ بأَرضِنا

    وَأيدِى الهَدَايا إِنَّنِى لَغَرِيبُ

    They say, 'No stranger shall spend the evening in our land.'

    By the forelegs of the sacrificial beasts, I am indeed a stranger!

  91. غَرِيبٌ دَعَاهُ الشَّوقُ فاقتَادَهُ الهَوَى

    كَما قِيدَ عَودٌ بِالزِّمامِ أَدِيبُ

    A stranger summoned by yearning and led by love,

    as a docile, mature camel is led by its halter.

  92. فأَنتِ التى ذَلَّلتِ لِلنَّاسِ صَعبَتِى

    وقَرَّبتِ لِى ما لَم يَكُن بِقَرِيبِ

    You are the one who made my unruliness tractable to people,

    and brought near to me what had not been near.

  93. وإن أَسمَعَتنِى دَعوَةً لأَجبُتها

    أُلبِّى سُلَيمَى قَبلَ كُلِّ مُجِيبِ

    If she let me hear a call, I would answer it;

    I answer Sulayma before any other respondent.

  94. أَلاَ لا أُبالِى ما أجَنَّت صُدُورُهُم

    إِذا نَصَحت مِمَّن أَوَدُّ جُيُوبُ

    I do not care what their breasts conceal,

    if the bosoms of those I love are sincere.

  95. فإن تَحمِلوا حِقدا عَلَىَّ فإِنَّنِى

    لَعَذبِ المِياهِ نَحوَكُم لَشَرُوبُ

    If you bear rancor against me, indeed I

    surely drink the sweet waters in your direction.

  96. يُثَابُ ذَوو الأَهواءِ غَيرِى وَلاَ أَرَى

    اُمَيمَةٌ مِمَّا قَد لَقِيتُ تُثيِبُ

    Others who love are rewarded, yet I do not see

    Umayma rewarding me for what I have suffered.

  97. يَقُولونَ أَقصِر عَن هَوَاها فَقَد وَعَت

    ضَغائنَ شُبّانٌ عَلَيكَ وَشِيبُ

    They say, 'Desist from loving her: there have stored up

    grudges against you young men and gray-haired men.'

  98. أَلَهفِى لِما ضَيَّعتُ وُدِّى وَما هَفا

    فُؤادِى لِمَن لَم يَدرِ كَيفَ يُثِيبُ

    Alas for the affection I squandered, and for how

    my heart yearned for one who knew not how to requite it!

  99. وإِنَّ طَبِيباً يَشعَبُ القَلبَ بَعدَما

    تَصَدَّعَ مِن وَجدٍ بِهَا لَكَذوبُ

    A physician who would mend the heart after

    it has split from yearning for her is surely a liar.

  100. رَأيتُ لها ناراً وَبَينِى وَبَينَها

    مِنَ العِرضِ أَو وادِى المِياهِ سُهُوبُ

    I saw a fire of hers, while between me and it

    lay plains of al-'Ird or Wadi al-Miyah.

  101. إِذا جِئتُهَا وَهناً مِنَ اللَّيلِ شَبَّهَا

    مِنَ المَندَلِىِّ المُستَجَادِ ثَقُوبُ

    When I come to it late in the night, it is kindled

    by a blazing brand of choice Mandali wood.

  102. وَقَد وَعَدَت لَيلَى وَمَنّت وَلَم يَكُن

    لِرَاجِى المُنَى مِن وُدِّهِنَّ نَصِيبُ

    Layla promised and raised hopes, yet there was

    no share of their affection for one hoping for fulfillment.

  103. مُحِبًّا أَكَنَّ الوَجدَ حَتّى كأَنَّهُ

    مِنَ الأَهلِ وَالمَالِ التِّلاَدِ تَطِيبُ

    A lover concealed his yearning until it was as though he

    could be content without family and ancestral wealth.

  104. أَلاَ لاَ أَرَى وَادِى المِياهِ يُثِيبُ

    وَلاَ النَّفسُ عَمَّا لاَ تَنَالُ تَطِيبُ

    I do not see Wadi al-Miyah granting any reward,

    nor does the soul become content without what it cannot attain.

  105. يَقَرُّ بِعَينِى أَن أَرَى ضَوءَ مُزنَةٍ

    يَمانِيةٍ أَو أَن تَهُبَّ جَنُوبُ

    It delights my eye to see the light of a raincloud

    from Yemen, or to have a south wind blow.

  106. فإِن خِفتِ أَلاّ تُحكِمِى مِرَّةَ الهَوَى

    فَرُدِّى فُؤَادِى وَالمَزَارُ قَرِيبُ

    If you fear you cannot make love's twisted cord secure,

    return my heart, while the place of visitation is near.

  107. أَكُن أَحوَذِىَّ الصَّرمِ إِمّا لِخُلَّةٍ

    سِوَاكِ وَإِمّا أَرعَوِى فَأتُوبُ

    I will be decisive in severing ties, either for a sweetheart

    other than you, or I will desist and repent.

  108. تَبِعتُكِ عَاماً ثُمَّ عَامَينِ بَعدَهُ

    كما تَبِعَ المُستَضعَفِينَ جَنِيبُ

    I followed you for a year, then two years after it,

    as a led camel follows the feeble.

  109. فَأبلَستِ إِبلاَسَ الدَّنىءِ وَمَا عَدَت

    لكِ النَّفسُ حاجاتٍ وَهُنَّ قَرِيبُ

    Then you fell into the silence of the base; my soul did not go beyond

    its needs of you, though they were near at hand,

  110. رَجاةَ نَوالٍ مِن أُمَيمَةَ إِنَّها

    إذا وَعَدَتنا نائلاً لَكَذُوبُ

    hoping for a gift from Umayma; truly she,

    whenever she promises us a gift, is surely false.

  111. وَقَد قُلتُ يَوماً لاِبنِ عَمروٍ وَقَد عَلَت

    فُوَيقَ التَّراقِى أَنفُسٌ وقُلُوبُ

    I said one day to Ibn Amr, when there had risen

    just above the collarbones souls and hearts,

  112. وَأَيدِ الأَعادِى مُشرَعاتٌ فَطَرفُنا

    إِلَى طَرفِهِم نَرمِى بِهِ فَنُصِيبُ

    and the enemies' hands were outstretched: our gaze

    met their gaze; we shot with it and struck.

  113. تَمَتَّعتُ مِن أَهلِ الكثِيبِ بنَظَرَةٍ

    وقَد قِيلَ ما بَعدض الكثِيبِ كَثِيبُ

    I enjoyed a glance at the people of the dune,

    though it had been said, 'No dune lies beyond the dune.'

  114. أَلاَ لَيتَ شِعرِى عَنكِ هَل تَذكُرِينَنِى

    فذِكرُكِ فى الدُّنيا إِلىَّ

    Would that I knew about you: do you remember me?

    For remembering you in this world is, to me...

  115. وَهَل لِي نَصِيبٌ فى فُؤادِكِ ثابتٌ

    كَمالكِ عِندِى فى الفُؤادِ نَصِيبُ

    Do I have an enduring share in your heart,

    as you have a share in my heart?

  116. فَلَستُ بِمَتروكٍ فَأَشرَبَ شَربَةٌ

    ولا النَّفسُ عَمَّا لا تَنالُ تَطِيبُ

    I am not left alone to drink a draught,

    nor does the soul become content without what it cannot attain.

  117. رَأيتُ نُفُوساً تُبتَلَى طالَ حَبسُهَا

    عَلَى غَيرِ جُرمٍ ما لَهُنَّ ذُنُوبُ

    I saw souls put to trial, their confinement prolonged,

    without any crime; they have no sins.

  118. فلا خَيرَ فِى الدُّنيا إِذا أَنتَ لم تَزُر

    حَبِيباً وَلَم يَطرَب إِلَيك حَبيبُ

    There is no good in the world if you do not visit

    a beloved, and no beloved rejoices at your coming.

  119. سُقِيتُ دَمَ الحَيّاتِ إِن لُمتُ بَعدَها

    مُحِبّاً ولا عَنَّفتُ حِينَ يَحُوبُ

    May I be made to drink snakes' blood if afterward I blame

    a lover, or rebuke him when he sins.

  120. وَإِنَّى لَتَعرُونِى وَقَد نَامَ صُحبَتِى

    رَوَائعُ حتَّى لِلفُؤادِ وَجِيبُ

    Indeed, while my companions sleep, I am assailed

    by terrors that set my heart pounding.