وَإِنّي لَأَسمو بِالوِصالِ إِلى الَّتي
يَكونُ شِفاءً ذِكرُها وَاِزدِيارُها
Though I aspire to be united with her
Whose mention is healing, and her sight exhilarating,
وَإِن خَفِيَت كانَت لِعَينَيكَ قُرَّةً
وَإِن تَبدُ يَوماً لَم يَعُمَّكَ عارُها
Though she is hidden, to your eyes she would be solace,
And if she appears one day, you will not be shamed by her.
مِنَ الخَفِراتِ البيضِ لَم تَرَ شَقوَةً
وَفي الحَسَبِ المَحضِ الرَفيعِ نِجارُها
Of the whitest maids you have not seen one so witty,
Nor one of pure and noble lineage like her.
فَما رَوضَةٌ بِالحَزنِ طَيِّبَةَ الزَرع
يَمُجُّ النَدى جَثجاثُها وَعَرارُها
No garden is fragrant in grief like her plants,
Her dew and flowers exude fragrance.
بِمُنخَرِقٍ مِن بَطنِ وادٍ كَأَنَّما
كَأَنَّما تَلاقَت بِهِ عَطّارَةٌ وَتِجارُها
As if aromatics and perfumes met in a cleft
Of a valley's interior, such is her essence.
أُفيدَ عَلَيها المِسكُ حَتّى كَأَنَّها
لَطيمَةُ دارِيٍّ تَفَتَّقَ فارُها
Musk is lavished on her until she seems to be
A perfumed wrap whose scent fills the air.
بِأَطيَبَ مِن أَردانِ عَزَّةَ مَوهِناً
وَقَد أوقِدَت بِالمَندَلِ الرَطبِ نارُها
With something sweeter than leaves of dignity humiliated,
Kindling with moist wood the flames of her fire.
هِيَ العَيشُ ما لاقَتكَ يَوماً بِوُدِّها
وَمَوتٌ إِذا لاقاكَ مِنها اِزورارُها
She is life when she meets you with her love one day,
And death when you meet her barriers.
وَإِنّي وَإِن شَطَّت نَواها لِحافِظٌ
لَها حَيثُ حَلَّت وَاِستَقَرَّ قَرارُها
And though her determination waivered, I am one
To guard her wherever she settles and dwells.
فَأَقسَمتُ لا أَنساكِ ما عِشتُ لَيلَةً
وَإِن شَحَطَت دارٌ وَشَطَّ مَزارُها
I swear I shall never forget you as long as I live,
Though homes be ravaged and dwellings destroyed.
وَما اِستنَّ رَقراقُ السَرابِ وَما جَرى
بِبيضِ الرُبى وَحشِيُّها وَنَوارُها
Nor the mirage's delusion, nor the deserted ruins
And desolation left by the caravans.
وَما هَبَّتِ الأَرواحُ تَجري وَما ثَوى
مُقيماً بِنَجدٍ عَوفُها وَتِعارُها
Nor the spirits blowing and roaming, nor the abandoned traces
Remaining in Najd, its hospitality and dwellings.
