يا بَرْقَ نَجْدٍ هَلْ حَكَيْتَ فُؤَادِي

فِي ذَا التَّلَّهُبِ والخُفُوقِ البَادِي

O lightning of Najd, did you tell my heart,

In that blazing and flashing,

لَوْلاَ اشْتِرَاكُ هَوَاكُمَا لمْ تَسْفَحَا

دَمْعَيْكُمَا في سَفْحِ ذَاكَ الوَادِي

Were it not for your shared passion, your tears would not have flowed,

Down the valley's slopes.

أَتُرىَ سُوَيْكِنَةُ الحِمَى بِجَمَالِهَا

سَلَبَتْ رُقَادَكَ في الهَوى وَرُقَادِي

Does the beauty of Sawayqina's fever,

Deprive you of sleep in passion as it does me?

عَرَّضْتُ قَلْبِي يَوْمَ رَامَةَ إِذْ بَدَتْ

بِنَوَاظِرٍ تَحْكي حُدُودَ حِدَادِ

I exposed my heart the day Rama appeared,

With glances that told of deep sorrow.

وَسَأَلْتُهَا سَلْبِي لِعِلْمِيَ أَنْ مَنْ

سَلَبَتْهُ صَارَ أَمِيرَ ذَاكَ النَّادِي

And I asked her to take me, for I knew,

He whom she takes becomes the lord of that club.

وَأَغَنَّ تَعْشَقُ لَيْنَهُ قُضُبُ النَّقَا

إِنْ مَاسَ أَهْيَفُ قَدِّهِ الميَادِ

And the bending of the supple spear makes love richer,

When the nimble one straightens his neck.

يسقِي الندِيمَ بِكَأْسِهِ وَبِلَحْظِهِ

وَبِثَغْرِهِ رَيّاً فَيُصْبِحُ صَادِي

He gives drink to the companion with his cup, his glance,

And his mouth, until he awakens thrilled.

مَاذَاكَ إِلاَّ أَنَّ وَقَّادَ الجَوَى

بَيْنَ الجَوَانِحِ دَائِمُ الإِيْقَادِ

That is only because passion kindled a flame,

Ever burning between the ribs.

وَيَبِيتُ أَدْنَى لِلحَشَا مِنْ مُهْجَتِي

وَأَبِيتُ أَشْكُو مِنْهُ فَرْطَ بُعَادِ

And he sleeps closer to the lovely one than my thoughts,

While I stay awake complaining of remoteness.

فَكَأَنَّمَا نَهْوَى اتحَادَ وَصِالِنَا

شَغَفاً وَنَكْرَهُ فُرْقَةَ التَّعْدَادِ

So it is as though the union of our tryst,

In eagerness we desire, and separation we dislike.