إِذا ما الغَمامُ الجَونُ أَنجَدَ صَوبُهُ

وَأَسفَرَ بِالإيماضِ وَهوَ قطوبُ

When the dark cloud’s downpour reaches the uplands,

and it unveils its face in lightning, though it scowls,

فَلَيتَ نَسيماً بِالغُوَيرِ يَقُودُهُ

وَيُمسِكُ عَنهُ شَمأَلٌ وَجَنوبُ

would that a breeze at al-Ghuwayr might guide it,

and keep the north and south winds away from it—

لَعَلَّ بِهِ مِن نَشرِ سَلمى بَقِيَّةً

يَضوعُ بِها ذاكَ الحَيا وَيَطيبُ

perhaps within it lingers some trace of Salma’s fragrance,

so that, with it, that life-giving rain breathes perfume and grows sweet.