كَأَنَّ اِبنَةَ الزَيدِيِّ يَومَ لَقيتُها

هُنَيدَةَ مَكحولُ المَدامِعِ مُرشِقُ

As if the daughter of Zaydi when I met her one day

As if the daughter of Al-Zaidi, the day I met her, was a wild doe, kohl-eyed and graceful of neck,

Was Like Hind bent with weeping, eyes overflowing

Watching over a fawn, shaking the shrubs for him, reaching for the lote-tree branches and clinging on.

تُراعي خَذولاً يَنفُضُ المُردَ شادِناً

تَنوشُ مِنَ الضالِ القِذافَ وَتَعلَقُ

She was herding a gazelle, shaking its coat

And I said to him one day in the valley of Mabayid: "Is it not that every captive, save yours, is eventually set free?"

Drinking from a lost one’s waterskin, clinging to it

"He encounters one day some generosity from a master, who takes a ransom of wealth or grants charity."

وَقُلتُ لَهُ يَوماً بَوادي مَبايِضٍ

أَلا كُلُّ عانٍ غَيرَ عانيكَ يُعتَقُ

And I said to him one day in Mabayadh valley

But ruins upon which a torrential rain had poured reminded me of her after I had forgotten,

“Is not every goat, except your goat, set free?

In the regions of Shammat, as if their traces were the patterned work of a skilled artisan on tooled leather.

يُصادِفُ يَوماً مِن مَليكٍ سَماحَةً

فَيَأخُذُ عَرضَ المالِ أَو يَتَصَدَّقُ

One day it will meet a generous king

I stood by them while the sun was near its setting, and longing stirred the heart of the one who yearns.

Who will take it as wealth or give charity”

I waited briefly, but when they remained silent to my call, I sought solace to forget her, while my tears trickled down.

وَذَكَّرَنيها بَعدَ ما قَد نَسيتُها

دِيارٌ عَلَيها وابِلٌ مُتَبَعِّقُ

And it reminded me of her, after I’d forgotten her

For the dwelling brings her near to us only for a fleeting moment, nor does love for her wear out despite the far distance.

A land where abundant rains pour down

بِأَكنافِ شَمّاتٍ كَأَنَّ رُسومَها

قَضيمُ صَناعٍ في أَديمٍ مُنَمَّقُ

In the bosom of critics, as if its outlines

Were etched by a craftsman on gilded leather

وَقَفتُ بِها وَالشَمسُ دونَ مَغيبِها

قَريباً وَهاجَ الشَوقُ مَن يَتَشَوَّقُ

I stood by it as the sun neared setting

And yearning stirred in those who yearn

قَليلاً فَلَما اِستَعجَمَت عَن جَوابِنا

تَعَزَّيتُ عَنها وَالدُموعُ تَرَقرَقُ

After a little, when she hurried me for an answer

I resigned myself and tears began to flow

فَلا الدارُ تُدنيها لَنا غَيرَ فَينَةٍ

وَلا حُبُّها عَن شاحِطِ النَأيِ يُخلِقُ

Neither can the house bring her near to me but as a phantom

Nor does love for her diminish with remoteness