تَأَوَّبني طَيفٌ بَعِيدُ التَأَوُّبِ

هُدُوّاً وَلَم يَشعُر بِذَلِكَ صاحِبي

A vision that sees far distantly visited me,

Unknowingly, and my companion did not realize.

تَذَكُّرُ لَيلى إِنَّني خِلتُ ذِكرَها

يَؤُوبُ فُؤادي اللَيلَ مِن كُلِّ جانِبِ

I remembered Layla - truly I am deprived of the mention of her -

My heart wanders the night from every side.

فَقُلتُ أَقعُدَا قَد عِيلَ صَبرُ أَخيكُما

وَكَفكَفتُ دَمعَ العَينِ وَالدَمعُ غالِبي

I said, "Stay seated - verily the patience of your brother has waned!"

And I held back the tear of my eye though the tear was dominant.

وَقَد كُنتُ أَرجُو أَن أَييتَ بِراحَةٍ

وَلَم أَدرِ أَنَّ الطَيفَ إِن بِتُّ طالِبي

I used to hope that you would bring me comfort,

And I did not know that the vision - were I to stay - would be my seeker.

وَوَاللَهِ لا يُنكا مُحِبُّ بِمثلِها

وَإِن كانَ مَكرُوهاً فِراقُ الحَبائِبِ

By Allah! A lover is not denounced for her like,

Even if parting from loved ones is hated.

وَأُشِربَ جِلدي حُبُّها وَمَشى بِهِ

تَمَشّي حُمَيّا الكَأسِ في جِلدِ شارِبِ

The love of her was absorbed into my skin and it walked with it

As the wine walks in the skin of the drinker.

يَدِبُّ هَواها في عِظامي وَحُبُّها

كَما دَبَّ في المَلدُوغِ سَمُّ العَقارِبِ

Her love creeps into my bones, and her love

Crept as the poison of scorpion creeps into the stung one.

تَبَدَّت لَنا يَومَ الرَحيلِ كَأَنَّها

أَحَمُّ المَآقي في نِعاجٍ الرَبائِبِ

The day we departed, she appeared to us as though she was

The most protective she-camel among grazing sheep.

تَكَفّا وَيَمشينَ الهُوَينا تَأَوُّداً

كَما أَنآدَ غُصنٌ بَلَّهُ ضَربُ هاضِبِ

She bid farewell while passionate love walked slowly between us

As a branch calls out when struck by one who cuts down.