يا طَلَلاً عِندَ الأَثيلِ دارِسا

لاعَبتُ فيهِ خُرّداً أَوانِسا

O ruins near the encampment where I played as a child,

A companionable place it was yesterday, laughing,

بِالأَمسِ كانَ مُؤنِساً وَضاحِكاً

وَاليَومَ أَضحى موحِشاً وَعابِسا

Today it has become desolate and frowning.

They moved away without my noticing, they did not know

نَأوا وَلَم أَشعُرهُمُ فَما دَرَوا

أَنَّ عَلَيهِم مِن ضَميري حارِسا

That part of my conscience stands guard over them,

Following them wherever they went and settled,

يَتبَعهُمُ حَيثُ نَأوا وَخَيَّموا

وَقَد يَكونُ لِلمَطايا سائِسا

Perhaps being a leader for the camels.

Until when they camped in an arid, waterless desert,

حَتّى إِذا حَلَّوا بِقَفرٍ بَلقَعٍ

وَخَيَّموا وَاِفتَرَشوا الطَنافِسا

Pitched tents and spread out the rugs,

It turned with them to a fertile, verdant meadow,

عادَ بِهِم رَوضاً أَغَنَّ يانِعاً

مِن بَعدِ ما قَد كانَ قَفراً يابِسا

After having been a barren desert.

Every campsite they stayed at was transformed

ما نَزَلوا مِن مَنزِلٍ إِلّا حَوى

مِن الحِسانِ رَوضَةً طَواوِسا

Into a garden full of birds by their beauty.

Every place they moved away from was filled

وَلا نَأوا عَن مَنزِلٍ إِلّا حَوى

مِن عاشِقيهِم أَرضُهُ نَواوِسا

With lovers pining for them, weeping.