رمى أدمعي نصُّ الركائبِ والوخدُ

فأبدتْ هَوَى مَنْ لم يكنْ سَقِماً يبدو

My tears flowed down the cheeks of the camel litters,

Revealing the passion of one who seemed not sick.

بعينيَّ هاتيك الحمولُ عشية

وقد عَلِقَتْ منْ دونِ آرامها الأسد

With these eyes of mine, the caravan appeared in the evening,

While the lions slept, detached from their tranquility.

أدارهمُ الأولى لبستِ من البلى

مطارفَ لا تَبْلى وإن بَلِيَ العهد

Time's vicissitudes clothed them in the garb of decay,

While their glances remained unchanged, though eras passed.

كأن لم تكوني للأحِبَّةِ منزلاً

ولا عَبَثتْ فيك الرَّبابُ ولا هند

As if you were never a home to loved ones,

Where lutes were strummed and wine was poured.

عفا جَسدي ممّا أَلَظَّ به الضَّنا

وأشْبَهْتِهِ مما استهلَّ بك العهد

My body recovered from the harshness it endured,

And resembled what it was when the era began.

سقاكِ إلى أن قلتُ بينكما هوىً

فلما تمادى قلتُ بينكما حقد

I professed my love between you two until,

When it grew excessive, I professed my hatred between you two.

كفى حَزَناً أنَّ النَّوى أجنبيّة

وأنَّ سُليمى حالَ من دونها البعد

It is sorrow enough that the dwellings are stranger’s,

And that Sulayma is too far for me to reach.

بنجدٍ أناخوا العيسَ بعد تهامةٍ

ويا بُعْدَ ما بيني وبينك يا نجد

In Nejd they rested the camel litters after Tihama,

But, oh, how far is the distance between me and you, O Nejd!