وَما أمّ خشفٍ طولَ يَومٍ وَليلةٍ

بِبلقعةٍ بَيداء ظَمآن صادِيا

A mother of a lost child, wandering day and night

In the white desert, thirsty and confused,

تَهيم وَلا تَدري إِلى أَين تَبتَغي

مولّهة حُزناً تَجوزُ الفَيافِيا

Seeking blindly, not knowing where to go,

Grieving as she crosses the endless sands.

أَضرّ بِها لِفتحِ الهَجير فَلَم تَجِد

لعلّتِها مِن بارِدِ الماءِ شافياً

I tried to help by opening the waterskin, but found

No remedy for her distress in the cool water.

إِذا اِنقَلَبَت عَن خَشفها اِنقَطَعَت لَهُ

فَأَلفتهُ مَلهوفَ الجَوانِح طاوِيا

When she turns from her search, it seems her soul departs,

And I see him, a baby bird fallen from the nest.

بأَوجع مِنّي يَوم شَدّوا حُمولهم

وَنادى مُنادي البَين أَن لا تَلاقيا

More anguished than I, the day they packed their loads

And the herald of parting cried, "Do not meet again!"