خَلا الفَيضُ مِمّا حَلَّهُ فَالخَمائِلُ

فَرِجلَةُ ذي الإِرطى فَقَرنُ الهَوامِلِ

The bounty has departed from what it adorned, so the beautiful women remain,

The leg of the one with a lame thigh and the shoulder of the carrier.

وَقَد كانَ مُحتَلّاً وَفي العَيشِ غِرَّةٌ

لِأَسماءَ مُفضى ذي سَليلٍ وَعاقِلِ

He had been a crafty man, though life was simple,

For Asma, heading to a fertile palm grove with descendants and intellect.

وَأَنّى اِهتَدَت أَسماءُ وَالنَعفُ دونَها

لِرَكبٍ بِأَعلى ذي سَلامانِ نازِلِ

How did Asma find her way when the dune was ahead of her,

For a band of riders at the highest [point] of Mount Sulayman?

فَأَصبَحَ مِنها ذاكَ قَفراً وَسامَحَت

لَكَ النَفسُ فَاِنظُر ما الَّذي أَنتَ فاعِلُ

So it became a wasteland to her while she pardoned,

You yourself, so look at what you will do.

خَليلَيَّ بَينَ المُنحَنى مَن مُخَمِّرٍ

وَبَينَ اللِوى مِن عُرفُجاءَ المُقابِلِ

My friend, between the bent [palm trees] with ripened fruit

And between the twisting [trees] with clustered fruit of Ukhujjah.

قِفا بَينَ أَعناقِ اللِوى لِمُرِيَّةٍ

جَنوبٍ تُداوي غِلَّ شَوقٍ مُماطِلِ

Stop between the necks of the twisting [trees] for a look,

At a south wind that heals the sickness of prolonged longing,

لِكَيما أَرى أَسماءَ أَو لِتَمَسَّني

رِياحٌ بِرَيّاها لِذاذُ الشَمائِلِ

So I can see Asma, or so its breezes touch me,

With the delight of features that it brings.

لَقَد حادَلَت أَسماءُ دونَكَ بِاللِوى

عُيونُ العِدى سَقياً لَها مِن مُحادِلِ

Indeed, Asma contended with you at the twisting [trees],

The eyes of enemies were watering her from disputants.

وَدَسَّت رَسولاً أَنَّ حَولِيَ عُصبَةٌ

هُمُ الحَربُ فَاِستَبطِن سِلاحَ المُقاتِلِ

And she sent a messenger that there is around me a clan,

They are war, so prepare the weapons of the fighter.

عَشِيَّةَ مالي مِن نَصيرٍ بِأَرضِها

سِوى السَيفِ ضَمَّتهُ إِلَيهِ حَمائِلُه

In the evening I have no ally in her land

Other than the sword which its scabbards enclosed.

فَيا أَيُّها الواشونَ بِالغِشِّ بَينَنا

فُرادى وَمَثنى مِن عَدوِّ وَعاذِلِ

So O you who cheat between us,

Individually and in pairs, from an enemy and critic.

دَعوهُنَّ يَتبَعنَ الهَوى وَتَبادَلوا

بِنا لَيسَ بَأسٌ بَينَنا بِالتَبادُلِ

Leave them to follow desire and exchange

With us—there is no harm between us in exchanging.

تَراوَحنَ نَأتِيهُنَّ نَحنُ وَأَنتُمُ

لِمَن وَعَلى مَن وَطأَةِ المُتَثاقِلِ

They circulated, we will come to them, and you,

For whom and against whom the pace of the heavily laden.

وَمَن عَرِيَت لِلَّهوِ قُدماً رِكابُهُ

وَشاعَت قَوافي شِعرِهِ في القَبائِلِ

And whoever the feet of his riding camel exposed to frivolity,

And the rhymed prose of his poetry circulated among the tribes.

تَبرُز وُجوهُ السابِقينَ وَيَختَلِط

عَلى المُقرِفِ الكافي غُبارُ القَنابِلِ

The faces of the frontrunners will appear and the dust of explosions will mix

Upon the undertaker, the sufficient.

فَإِن تَمنَعوا أَسماءَ أَو يَكُ نَفعُها

لَكُم أَو تَدِبّوا بَينَنا بِالغَوائِلِ

If they refuse Asma or her benefit will be

For you, or you instigate plots between us,

فَلَن تَمنَعوني أَن أُعَلِّلَ صُحبَتي

عَلى كُلِّ شَيءٍ مِن مَدى العَينِ قابِلِ

Then you will not prevent me from justifying my companionship

For everything in sight, capable.