لِعَمرَةَ إِذ قَلبُهُ مُعجَبٌ

فَأَنّى بِعَمرَةَ أَنّى بِها

For the night when his heart was smitten

With Amra, oh where was Amra!

لَيالٍ لَنا وُدُّها مُنصِبٌ

إِذا الشَولُ لَطَّت بِأَذنابِها

The night he yearned for her embrace

When the Pleiades dipped low.

وَراحَت حَدابيرَ حُدبَ الظُهو

رِ مُجتَلَماً لَحمُ أَصلابِها

The maidens glided, swaying hips,

Their thighs plump, firm flesh showing.

كَأَنَّ القَرَنفُلَ وَالزَنجَبيلَ

وَذاكي العَبيرِ بِجِلبابِها

As though carnation and ginger they were,

Fragrant with scent enthralling.

نَمَتها اليَهودُ إِلى قُبَّةٍ

دُوَينَ السَماءِ بِمِحرابِها

The Jews built her a dome by heaven’s skirt

With prayer niche mihrab in its wall.

وَنارٍ يُقَصِّرُ عَنها الدَنِي

يُ آخِرَ لَيلٍ صَلَينا بِها

A fire we prayed by through the night’s dark end—

It fell short of giving her warmth.

وَمَلمومَةٍ كَصَفاةِ المَسي

لِ دارَت رَحاها وَدُرنا بِها

And she circled about, restless, perturbed,

Her shelter and refuge eluding.

مَشَينا إِلَيها كَجُربِ الجِما

لِ باقي الهِناءِ بِأَقرابِها

We walked to her like camels in rut

Drawn by a mating urge goading.