أَشاقَكَ بَرقٌ آخِرَ اللَيلِ خافِقُ
جَرى مِن سَناهُ بَينَةٌ فَالأَبارِقُ
Another lightning flashed at the end of night,
Flowing from its brightness a clear rain between lightings.
قَعَدتُ لَهُ حتىعَلا الأَفقَ ماؤُهُ
وَسالَ بِفَعمِ الوَبلِ مِنهُ الدَوافِقُ
I waited for it until its water rose high on the horizon,
And, because of much rain, rivulets flowed from it.
يُرَشِّحُ نَبتاً ناعِماً وَيَزينُهُ
نَدىً وَلَيالٍ بَعدَ ذاكَ طَوالِقُ
It waters delicate plants and adorns them
With dew and nights, after that, are long.
وَكَيفَ تُرَجّيها وَمِن دونِ أَرضِها
جِبالُ الرُبا تِلكَ الطِوالُ البَواسِقُ
How can you wish for them without their land?
Tall mountains, those towering heights.
حَواجِرُها العُليا وَأَركانُها الَّتي
بِها مِن مَغافيرِ العِنازِ أَفارِقُ
Its high places and corners from which
Separating from packs of sheep are dear to me.
وَأَنتِ المُنى يا أُمَّ عَمرٍو لَو أَنَّنا
نَنالُكِ أَو تُدني نَواكِ الصَفائِقُ
You are the beloved, O Umm ‘Amr, if only
We could attain you or your tents draw nearer.
لَأَصبَحتُ خِلواً مِن هُمومٍ وَما سَرَت
عَلَيَّ خَيالاتُ الحَبيبِ الطَوارِقُ
I would be free of cares and gone from me
Would be fantasies of the beloved disturbing my heart.
بِذي زَهرٍ غَضٍّ كَأَنَّ تِلاعَهُ
إِذا أَشرَفَت حَجراتُهُنَّ النَمارِقُ
With flowering plants as though their buddings
Are their brilliant chambers when they come into view.
إِذا خَرَجَت مِن بَيتِها راق عَينَها
مُعَوَّذُهُ وَأَعجَبَتها العَقائِقُ
When she comes out from her house, her eye is guarded,
Protected - carnelians have fascinated her.
حَلَفتُ بِرَبِّ الموضِعين عَشِيَّةً
وَغيطانُ فَلجٍ دونَهُم وَالشَقائِقُ
I swear by the Lord of the two places on an evening
When torrents down a hollow are below them and meadow saffrons.
يَحُثّونَ صُبحَ الحُمرِ خوصاً كَأَنَّها
بِنَخلَةَ مِن دونِ الوَحيفِ المَطارِقُ
In the morning they rouse red proboscises as though they are
Thrusting them with half a lote tree from among the thickerets.
سِراعٌ إِذا الحادي زَقاهنَّ زَقيَةً
جَنَحنَ كَما اِستُلَّت سُيوفٌ ذَوالِقُ
When the one giving tidings startles them, they bustle hastily
Like swords unsheathed that slash and cut.
إِذا قَرَّطوهُنَّ الأَزِمَّةَ وَاِرتَدوا
أَبَينَ فَلَم يَقدِر عَلَيهِنَّ سابِقُ
When blustering cold makes them circle about and turn away
Refusing, no first one can prevail against them.
إِذا عَزَمَ الرَكبُ الرَحيلَ وَأَشرَفَت
لَهُنَّ الفَيافي وَالفِجاجُ الفَياهِقُ
When the travelling party decides to depart and summits
Of wave-like dunes and deep hollows appear to them.
عَلى كُلِّ حُرجوجٍ كَأَنَّ شَليلَها
رَواقٌ إِذا ما هَجَر الرَكبُ خافِقُ
On every crag as though its late stragglers
Are a monastery when the party moves on.
لَقَد لَقِيَتنا أُمُّ عَمرٍو بِصادِقٍ
مِنَ الصَرمِ أَو ضاقَت عَلَيهِ الخَلائِقُ
Indeed, Umm ‘Amr met us with truthfulness
Out of nobility of nature or creations restricted her.
سِوى ذِكرَةٍ مِنها إِذا الرَكبُ عَرَّسوا
وَهَبَّت عَصافيرُ الصَريمِ النَواطِقُ
Only a small band of them when the travellers prepared
And birds in the bushes burst into speech.
أَلَم تَسأَلي يا أُمَّ عَمرٍو فَتُخبَري
سَلِمتِ وَأَسقاكِ السَحابُ البَوارِقُ
Why did you not ask, O Umm ‘Amr, and be informed?
Greetings – may the clouds water you with heavy rains.
بَكِيّاً لِصَوتِ الرَعدِ خُرسٌ رَوائِحَ
وَنَعقٍ وَلَم يُسمَع لَهُنَّ صَواعِقُ
Silent because of the voice of thunder but fragments
Of bleating and braying – no loud noises for them were heard.
