أَلا لَيتَ شِعري وَالخُطوبُ كَثيرَةٌ

مَتى رَحلُ قَيسٍ مُستَقِلٌّ فَراجِعُ

Alas! Would that I knew, with troubles so rife

When will depart Qais, independent, returning,

بِنَفسِيَ مَن لا يَستَقِلُّ بِنَفسِهِ

وَمَن هُوَ إِن لَم يَحفَظِ اللَهُ ضائِعُ

With my own soul, he who is not self-reliant,

And who is lost, if God Himself not guard him.

وَأَسلَمَني الباكونَ إِلّا حَمامَةٌ

مُطَوَّقَةٌ قَد صانَعَت ما أُصانِعُ

The doves left me all save a ring-necked one

Who wrought as I, and plighted troth as plighted I.

إِذا نَحنُ أَنفَدنا الدُموعَ عَشيَّةً

فَمَوعِدُنا قَرنٌ مِنَ الشَمسِ طالِعُ

When we, as night came on, had shed our tears,

Our tryst was ever a sun's horn uprising.