وَقَفَ الرَّبْع على مُرْتَبَعٍ

قد خلا يا سعدُ من آل سعاد

The quarter stood on a square

Deserted, O Saad, by the people of prosperity

ورسومٍ رحت أستسقي لها

من عيون الركب منهلَّ الغوادي

And features that went to draw water for it

From the springs of the caravan, the watering place of the valleys

فبكاها كلُّ صبٍّ بدمٍ

نائباً عني وما ذاك مرادي

So every passionate youth wept for it

Acting on my behalf, though that was not my intention

وهذيم لم يجد ممّا به

جَلداً وهو قويٌّ في الجلاد

And this, finding nothing in it

To endure, though he was strong in endurance

فتعجبت على علمي به

أنَّه صَلْدُ الصفا واري الزناد

So I was amazed by my knowledge of him

That he is firm in loyalty and pure in friendship

من صبابات جوًى أضمرها

ودموعٍ فوق خدَّيْه بوادي

From the passions of youth that he harbored

And tears above his cheeks in the valleys

قائلاً كيف مَضَتْ أيامنا

وهوًى لم يك منها بالمعاد

Saying, how have our days passed

And passion that will not be until the return

وانقضى المعهد فَلِمْ لا تنقضي

زفرات الوجد من هذا الفؤاد

And the appointed time has elapsed - so why do not

The sighs of passion cease from this heart