أَقوَت تَعِرَّةُ فَالإِصغاءُ فَالخالُ

مِن آلِ أَسماءَ إِلّا النُؤىُ وَالآلُ

The dwelling became desolate, so I listened,

Of the houses of Asma nothing left but traces and ruins.

وَغَيرُ هابٍ عَفاهُ القَطرُ مُلتَبِدٌ

لَهُ أَثافٍ صَلِينَ النارَ أَمثالُ

And rain washed away all tracks of the encampment,

Leaving only tent pegs like fiery stakes.

وَقَفتُ أَسألُها عَمَّن عَهِدتُ بِها

وَالناسُ قَبلي رِباعَ الناسِ قَد سالُوا

I stood there asking her about those I once knew,

While generations of men before me had asked the same.

أَبكى وَيَعذِلُني صَحبي وَيَغلِبُهُم

قَلبٌ لَجُوجٌ وَدَمعٌ فاضَ سَيّالُ

I weep and my companions rebuke me, but still

A stubborn heart prevails, and tears flow freely.

فَقُلتُ إِذ أَكثَرُوا الومى عدمتُهُمُ

إِنّي لِما كَرِهُوا مِن ذاكَ قَوّالُ

I said, since they blame me, I will withdraw from them,

For I speak truly of what they dislike.

ما كُنتُ أَوَّلَ مَن هاجَت لَهُ حَزَناً

حَتّى بَكى جَزَعاً رَسمٌ وَأَطلالُ

I was not the first seized by sorrow,

To weep in anguish over traces and ruins.

لامُوا وَقالُوا وَما بالَيتُ ما فَعَلُوا

قَد لامَني في هَوى أَسماءَ عُذّالُ

They blamed and spoke out, but I did as they did,

For they blamed my love for Asma, those blamers!

لَو إِنَّهُم وَجَدُوا مِثلَ الَّذي وَجَدَت

نَفسي بِأَسماءَ فيما سَرَّني مالُوا

Had they felt what I felt for Asma,

They too would have been distracted by love.

لَكِنَّهُم عُزُفٌ ما إِن يَلِيقُ بِهِم

وَصلٌ وَفي الناسِ قُطّاعٌ وَوُصّالُ

But they are rabble unable to understand,

While amongst people are thieves and bandits.

كَأَنَّها ظَبيَةٌ حَوراءُ يَتبَعُها

رَخص الظلوف غَضيض الطَرف مِكسال

She is like a shy gazelle, alluring,

Of soft glance and languid eyes.

إِذا اِنثَنى لِمَقيلٍ خَلفَها نَكَصَت

حَتّى يَقومَ إِلَيها ذاكَ ما زالُوا

When she turns to rest behind her are men

Who will not leave her side.

خُمصانَةٌ جائِلٌ رَودٌ مُوَشَّحُها

وَلا يَجُولُ لَها في الساقِ خِلخالُ

Smooth of cheek, dark-lipped, perfumed,

Her ankles without sound of bangles.