أَرِقتُ وَقَد نامَ الخَلِيُّ لِنازِحٍ

تَشَظَّت حَصاةُ القَلبِ في حُبِّهِ صَدعا

I lay awake though my companion slept,

The pebbles of love shattered in his heart,

وَما شاقَني إِلّا وَميضُ غَمامَةٍ

تَطَلَّعَ مِن نَجدٍ فَحَيّا اللِوى رَبعا

And nothing kept me from rest save the lightning

That peered from Najd and lit the pastures.

أَشيمُ سَناهُ وَالسَماءُ مُغيمَةٌ

كَما اِغرَورَقَت عَيني لِرُؤيَتِهِ دَمعا

I sense his features though the sky is overcast

As my eyes rain when I see him weep.

فَذَكَّرَني وَاللَيلُ يَندى جَناحُهُ

بِمَعطِفِهِ خَفقاً وَمَبسِمِهِ لَمعا

And night fluttering its wings reminds me

Of his cloak's flap and his smile's gleam.

وَمَسحَبِ ذَيلٍ لِلسَحابِ بِذي الغَضا

بَرودِ رُضابِ الماءِ أَحوى لِمى المَرعى

And clouds trailing trains for rain from on high

To the meadow's sweet grasses that sheep enjoy.

فَقُل في أَتِيٍّ قَد تَهادى كَأَنَّهُ

إِذا ماثَنى أَعطافَهُ حَيَّةٌ تَسعى

Say then of one who inclines as though he were

A snake slithering with no fixed course in view,

وَماءِ مَسيلٍ سائِلٍ لِقَرارَةٍ

فَبَينا تَرى مِنهُ حُساماً تَرى دِرعا

And water streaming for still pools to fill,

Now showing you a sword and now a shield.