تَقولُ وَالعيسُ قَد شُدَّت بأرحُلِنا

الحَقُّ أَنَّكَ مِنّا اليَومَ مُنطَلِقُ

You say, while the camel litter is made ready with our baggage saddle-bags,

“Indeed, you are leaving us today.”

قُلتُ نَعَم فاكظُمي قالَت وَماجَلَدي

وَما أَظنُّ اِجتِماعاً حينَ نَفتَرِقُ

I said, “Yes.” She said, “Endure it patiently.” I said, “What endurance!

I do not think we will reunite after parting.”

فارَقتُها لا فُؤادي مِن تَذكُّرِها

سالي الهُمومِ وَلا حَبلي لَها خَلَقُ

I left her, my heart oblivious from remembering her.

My anxieties poured over, and I have no patience for them.

فاضَت عَلى إِثرِهِم عَيناكَ دَمعُهُما

كَما تَتابَعَ يَجري اللؤلؤُ النسقُ

Then, your two eyes overflowed with their tears,

As if pearls were following each other in order.

فاِستَبقِ عَينَكَ لا يودي البُكاءُ بِها

واكفف مَدامِعَ مِن عَينَيكَ تَستَبِقُ

Restrain your eyes, lest crying wear them out,

And curb the flowing tears from your eyes.

لَيسَ الشؤونُ وَإِن جادَت بِباقيَةٍ

وَلا الجُفونُ عَلى هَذا وَلا الحَدَقُ

Neither matters, though serious, nor eyelids over this, nor eyeballs

Are lasting. They took care of your heart when they left hastily,

راعوا فُؤادَكَ إِذ بانوا عَلى عَجَلٍ

فاِستَردَفوهُ كَما يُستَردَفُ النَسَقُ

So accompany it as the string of pearls accompanies each pearl.

They left with blood-red sacrificial camels, which Warjan,

بانوا بأدماءَ مِن وَحشِ الجَنابِ لَها

أَحوى أُخينسُ في أَرطاتِهِ خرَقُ

The wolf, tore to pieces with his claws in their resting place.