أَهاجَكَ رَبعٌ بِالمُحيطِ مُحيلُ
عَفَتهُ دَروجٌ بِالتُّرابِ حَفولُ
A wilderness where the rains made pools is agitated by the wind,
Its sand dunes covered with rolling pebbles.
فَمُنتَصِبٌ مِنهُ يَثورُ عَجاجُهُ
وَآخَرُ دانٍ لِلبِلادِ سَحيلُ
Some tents are pitched on its heights in an uprising,
Others humbly subside for homesteads and sheepfolds.
وَمَنزِلَةٌ أُخرى تَقادَمَ عَهدُها
بِذي العُشِّ تَعفوها صَباً وَشَمولُ
Another place, worn out, remains from ancient days,
Youthful and rainy seasons have wasted it away.
تُراوِحُها الأَرواحُ وَالقَطرُ وَالبَلا
يُلاقينَ ما لَم يَلقَ قَطُّ طُلولُ
It is swept by winds, showers and running waters,
Meeting what no long necks had met before.
دِيارُ الَّتي يَقصيها يُقصِ وِدَّهُ
وَمَن يُدنِها تُعرِض فَكَيفَ تُنيلُ
The abodes which distance off the visitor
And scorn the comer near, how can they be attained?
خَليلَيَّ سَيراً وَإِذكُرا اللَهَ تَرشُدا
وَسيلا بِبَطنِ النِّسعِ حَيثُ يَسيلُ
O friend, travel by night and remember God will guide you,
And choose the route across the rugged valley.
فَإِن أَنتُما كَلَّمتُماها سَقَتكُما
يَمانيَةٌ رَيا الغَمامِ هَطولُ
If you speak to them, maidens will give you to drink
Yemeni wine fresh from the clouds pouring.
وَقولا لَها ما تَأمُرينَ بِوامِقٍ
لَهُ بَعدَ نَوماتِ العُيونِ أَليلُ
Say to them, "Do you order any lion machines
That can storm the stony height after the eyes have slept?"
تَبَدَّلتِ وَالأَبدالُ وافٍ وَناقِصٌ
وَمالِكِ عِندي قَد عَلِمتِ بَديلُ
You have changed while the alternatives still abound,
But you know that for me your love is irreplaceable.
يُذكِّرُنيها إِن تَغَنَّت حَمائِمٌ
لَهُنَّ عَلى غُصنِ العَضاهِ عَويلُ
When doves are singing, the place reminds me
Of their plaintive cooing from the withered branch.
تَجاوَبنَ في حَدِّ النَهارِ بِعَولَةٍ
وَأُخرى تُوافي الشَمسَ كُلَّ أَصيلِ
Calling together at noon with a wailing voice,
Another answers the sun every early dawn.
تَلومُكَ فيها بَعدَ ما إِستَحكَمَ الهَوى
نِساءٌ سِفاهاً ما لَهُنَّ عُقولُ
They blame you when passion has gained control,
Foolish women who have no understanding.
وَسَهمٍ إِذا ما خالَطَ القَلبَ لَم يَكُن
لَهُ مِن سَواقي الأَبهَرَينِ نُصولُ
When an arrow has pierced the heart, he has no power
To obtain a cure from the waters of Euphrates.
وَكَم مِن خَليلٍ قالَ لي لَو سَأَلتَها
فَقُلتُ لَهُ إِنّي إِذاً لَسَؤولُ
How many a friend said, "Ask for her hand,
I said,ʺThen I would be the questioner.ʺ
أُسائِلُها ما لا يَحِلُّ وَلَم يَكُن
لِيَسأَلَ شَيئاً لا يَحِلُّ خَليلُ
Shall I ask what is unlawful? My friend would not
Ask for what unlawful, being so true and fine.
فَيا لَيتَ حَظّي مِن نَوالِكِ أَنَّهُ
يُبَلِّغُ حاجاتي إِلَيكِ رَسولُ
Would my lot had a messenger to carry to you
My needs, that you might know my words are true.
لِكَي تَعلَمي أَنَّ الَّذي قُلتُ صادِقاً
وَأَنَّكِ مِخلافُ العِداتِ مَطولُ
At first you yielded a little then hastened to favor,
But your favor is grudging - ever so little.
أَنَلتِ قَليلاً ثُمَّ أَسرَعتِ مِنَّةً
وَنَيلُكِ مَمنونٌ كَذاكَ قَليلُ
I fear I shall meet, when passion is gone,
The same fate as ʿUrwa met in days bygone,
وَإِنّي لَأَخشى أَن أُلاقي مِنَ الهَوى
وَمِن زَفَراتِ الحُبِ حينَ تَزولُ
When he suffered the pangs of blighted love
From Jamila's disdain after union so sweet.
كَما كانَ لاقى في العُصورِ الَّتي مَضَت
عُرَيَّةٌ مِن شَحطِ النَوى وَجَميلُ
Though life is pleasant, yet I pine with love,
My companion, they say, will soon bid farewell.
وَإِنّي لَأَهوى وَالحَياةُ شَهِيَّةٌ
وَفائِيَ إِذ قيلَ الحَبيبُ يَزولُ
When he goes, sadness of parting will haunt me,
And his journey's secret will rankle within.
وَتَختَصُّ مِن دوني بِهِ غُربَةُ النَوى
وَيُضمِرُهُ بَعدَ الدُنُوِّ رَحيلُ
If death takes me before we part,
I shall die as noble lovers have died before.
فَإِن سَبَقَت قَبلَ البِعادِ مَنِيَّتي
فَإِنّي وَأَربابِ الغَرامِ نَبيلُ
In a desolate land dreaded and abandoned,
Even beasts scarce visit to drink.
وَداوِيَّةٍ قَفرٍ يَكادُ يَهابُها
مِنَ القَومِ مِصلاتُ الرَحيلِ دَليلُ
The gazelle is restored by its water,
Though the den's lodger is emaciated.
يُعافُ بِها المَعبوطُ مِن بَعدِ مائِها
وَإِن جاعَ مِقرامُ السِباعِ نَسولُ
I crossed it traveling with a mirthful group,
Some riding does, others lively, robust camels,
قَطَعتُ بِمِصلالِ الخِشاشِ يَرُدُّها
عَلى الكُرهِ مِنها ضانَةٌ وَجَديلُ
With slender legs, smooth cheeks and haughty walk,
Like the gait of Waleed's sword when drawn from its sheath.
وَرَأسٌ شَديدُ الأَخدَعَينِ وَمَخرَمٌ
وَرِجلٌ كَمِخراقِ الوَليدِ رَحولُ
Leila's estrangement was due neither to preoccupation
Nor cares of life that left you no leisure,
وَما هَجرُ لَيلى أَن تَكونَ تَباعَدَت
عَلَيكَ وَلا أَن أَحصَرَتكَ شُغولُ
Nor to aversion conceived against you,
Nor preference for any other.
وَلا أَن تَكونَ النَفسُ عَنها نَجيحَة
بِشَيءٍ وَلا أَن تَرتَضي بِبَديلِ
