أَلمِم بِعَزَّةَ إنَّ الرَكبَ مُنطَلِقُ

وَإِن نَأتَكَ وَلَم يُلمِم بِها خَرَقُ

With pride and honor the caravan sets forth

Though you walk away and do not care for it

قامَت تَراءى لَنا وَالعَينُ ساجِيَةٌ

كَأَنَّ إِنسانَها في لُجَّةٍ غَرِقُ

She appeared before us, her eyes lowered

As if her soul was drowning in darkness

ثُمَّ اِستَدارَ عَلى أَرجاء مُقلَتِها

مُبادِراً خَلَساتِ الطَرفِ يَستَبِقُ

Then she turned upon the sphere of her cheeks

Quickly glancing with coy eyes

كَأَنَّهُ حينَ مارَ المَأقَيانِ بِهِ

دُرٌّ تَحَلَّلَ مِن أَسلاكِهِ نَسَقُ

As if when she passed by the wine glasses

A pearl slipped out from its string of beads

وَلِلعَبيرِ عَلى أَصداغِها عَبَقٌ

كَأَنَّهُ بِجَنوبِ المِحجَرِ العَلَقُ

The perfume on her cheeks was fragrant

As if it was the incense of aloeswood

تُنيلُ نَزراً قَليلاً وَهيَ مُشفِقَةٌ

كَما يَهابُ نَشيسَ الحَيَّةِ الفَرِقُ

She sips a little, hesitantly

Like one who fears the viper’s sting

تَأَرَّجَ الحَيُّ إِذ مَرَّت بِظُعنِهِمُ

لَيلى وَنَم عَلَيها العَنبرُ العَبِقُ

The hay came alive as Leyla walked by

And the fragrant amber spread over it