1. بَينَ النَقا وَلَعلَعِ

    ظِباءُ ذاتِ الأَجرَعِ

    Between al-Naqa and La'la',

    Are the gazelles of Dhat al-Ajra'.

  2. تَرعى بِها في خَمَرٍ

    خَمائِلاً وَتَرتَعي

    They graze there under cover,

    Among lush groves, and browse.

  3. ما طَلَعَت أَهِلَّةٌ

    بِأُفقِ ذاكَ المَطلَعِ

    Never did crescent moons rise

    On the horizon of that rising-place,

  4. إِلّا وَدَدتُ أَنَّها

    مِن حَذَرٍ لَم تَطلُعِ

    But I wished that they

    Had not risen, out of fear.

  5. وَلا بَدَت لامِعَةٌ

    مِن بَرقِ ذاكَ اليَرمَعِ

    Nor did a flash appear

    From the glint of that white gravel,

  6. إِلّا اِشتَهَيتُ أَنَّها

    لَما بِنا لَم تَلمَعِ

    But I desired that it,

    For what ails us, had not shone.

  7. يا دَمعَتي فَاِنسَكِبي

    يا مُقلَتي لا تُقلِعي

    O my tear, then pour forth!

    O my eye, do not cease!

  8. يا زَفرَتي خُذ صُعُداً

    يا كَبِدي تَصَدَّعي

    O my sigh, take an upward course!

    O my liver, split asunder!

  9. وَأَنتَ يا حادي اِتَّئِد

    فَالنارُ بَينَ أَضلُعي

    And you, O camel-driver, go slowly,

    For the fire is between my ribs.

  10. قَد فَنِيَت مِمّا جَرى

    خَوفَ الفِراقِ أَدمُعي

    Already spent by what has flowed

    For fear of parting are my tears.

  11. حَتّى إِذا حَلَّ النَوى

    لَم تَلقَ عَيناً تَدمَعِ

    Until, when separation came,

    You found no eye that wept.

  12. فَاِرحَل إِلى وادي اللِوى

    مَرتَعِهِم وَمَصرَعي

    So travel to the valley of al-Liwa,

    Their pasture and my place of death.

  13. إِنَّ بِهِ أَحِبَّتي

    عِندَ مِياهِ الأَجرَعِ

    Indeed, my loved ones are there,

    Beside the waters of al-Ajra'.

  14. وَنادِهِم مَن لِفَتىً

    ذي لَوعَةٍ مَوَدِّعِ

    And call to them: who will aid a youth

    With burning anguish, bidding farewell,

  15. رَمَت بِهِ أَشجانُهُ

    بَهماءَ رَسمٍ بَلقَعِ

    Whose sorrows have cast him

    Into a trackless waste of desolate ruins?

  16. يا قَمَراً تَحتَ دُجىً

    خُذ مِنهُ شَيئاً وَدَعِ

    O moon beneath the darkness,

    Take something from him, and leave the rest.

  17. وَزَوِّديهِ نَظرَةً

    مِن خَلفِ ذاكَ البُرقُعِ

    And furnish him with a glance

    From behind that face-veil,

  18. لِأَنَّهُ يَضعُفُ عَن

    دَركِ الجَمالِ الأَروَعِ

    Because he is too weak to

    Perceive the most wondrous beauty.

  19. أَو عَلِّليهِ بِالمُنى

    عَساهُ يَحيا وَيَعي

    Or console him with hopes;

    Perhaps he will live and understand.

  20. ما هُوَ إِلّا مَيِّتٌ

    بَينَ النَقا وَلَعلَعِ

    He is nothing but a dead man

    Between al-Naqa and La'la'.

  21. فَمُتُّ يَأساً وَأَسىً

    كَما أَنا في مَوضِعي

    So I died of despair and sorrow,

    Just as I am, in my place.

  22. ما صَدَقَت ريحُ الصَبا

    حينَ أَتَت بِالخُدَعِ

    The east wind did not speak the truth

    When it came with deceits.

  23. قَد تَكذِبُ الريحُ إِذا

    تُسمِعُ ما لَم تَسمَعِ

    The wind may lie when

    It makes you hear what it has not heard.