أَحَقاً أَنَّ جيرَتَنا استَحَبّوا

حُزونَ الأَرضِ بِالبَلَدِ السَخاخِ

Is it true that our neighbors have chosen

The sorrowful plains in this desolate land

إِلى عُقرِ الأَباطِحَ مِن ثَبيرٍ

إِلى ثَورٍ فمَدفَعٍ ذي مُراخِ

To the furthest horizon, over the dunes

To uprising, with weapons brandished at hand

فَتِلكَ ديارُهُم لَم يَبقَ مِنها

سِوى طَلَلِ المُعَرَّسِ والمُناخِ

For such were their homes, nothing remains

Save ruins and traces in vacant sand

وَقَد تَغنى بِها في الدارِ حُورٌ

نَواعِمُ في المَجاسِدِ كالإِراخِ

And in their halls sang maidens so fair

Soft limbs upon carpets, delight in demand

وَوَجدي بِالأَحِبَّةِ يَومَ بانوا

كَوَجدِ الصادِ بِالماءِ النُقاخِ

My longing for loved ones when they went away

Was like that of rain for the thirsty sand

وَوَجدي دائِمٌ لَهُم وَعَهدي

مَتينٌ ما يَعودُ إِلى انفِساخِ

My pact and my promise to them will remain

Strong, not to soften or come undone