عَفَت أَجَلى مِن أَهلِها فَقَليبها

إِلى الدَومِ فَالرَنقاءِ قَفراً كَثيبُها

She outshone the fairest of her people, though her heart inclined

Towards Ed-Dawma then Er-Ranqaa, a barren desert her dunes.

إِذا هَبَّتِ الأَرواحُ كانَ أَحَبَّها

إِلَيَّ الَّتي من نَحوِ نَجدٍ هُبوبُها

When the winds blow, the one I love most

Comes from the direction of Najd, its gusts blowing.

وَإِنّي لَيَدعوني إِلى طاعَةِ الهَوى

كَواعِبُ أَترابٌ مِراضٌ قلوبها

The alluring maidens beckon me to obey desire

With lovesick hearts, their bosoms diseased.

كَأَنَّ الشِفاهَ الحُوَّ مِنهُنَّ حمِّلت

ذَرى بَرَدٍ يَنهَلُّ عَنها غُروبُها

As if their sweet mouths were laden

With the coolness of hail, the eve its outpouring.

بِهِنَّ مِنَ الداءِ الَّذي أَنا عارِفٌ

وما يَعرِفُ الأَدواءَ إِلّا طبيبُها

I know the malady I suffer from them

And none knows the remedy save its physician.

سَمِعتُ وَأَصحابي بِذي النَخلِ نازِلاً

وَقَد يَشعَفُ النَفسَ الشَعاعَ حَبيبُها

I heard while staying at Dhi Al-Nakhl my friends

Whose souls the brilliance of their beloved enraptures.

دُعاءً بِذي البُردَينِ مِن أُمِّ طارِقٍ

فَيا عَمرو هَل تَبدو لَنا فَتُجِيبُها

Calling upon Thu Al-Burdayn from Umm Tariq's abode,

"Will you appear to us, O Amr, and answer her?"

وَما رَوضَةٌ بِالحَزنِ قَفرٌ مَجودَةٌ

يَمُجُّ النَدى رَيهانُها وَصَبيبُها

No meadow, when sad, is a barren waste

That the dew rains over, its plants watered.

بِأَطيَبَ بَعدَ النَومِ مِن أُمِّ طارِقٍ

وَلا طَعمُ عُنقودٍ عَقارٍ زَبيبُها

With the sweetest scent after sleep from Umm Tariq

And no taste of buds or grapes like its raisins.