نَفَرنَ أَصيلاً كَسِربِ المَها

يُثِرنَ الهَوى وَيَهِجنَ الجَوى

They departed in droves like a flock of ostriches

Stirring up passion and igniting fervor

أُعارِضُهُنَّ فَيَلوينَني

وَيَمضينَ مُبتَدِراتِ الخُطى

I confront them so they bend me

And depart hastily treading their path

أُناشِدُهُنَّ ذِمامَ الهَوى

وَلَو ذُقنَهُ لَشَفَينَ الصَدى

I entreat them with the bridle of passion

If only they would taste it, echo would be quenched

تَوَزَّعنَ أَشطارَ هَذا الفُؤادِ

فَشَطرٌ هُناكَ وَشَطرٌ هُنا

They divided the regions of this heart

One part is there, the other here

وَرُحنَ يُضاحِكُهُنَّ النَعيمُ

وَيَقتُلُني إِثرَهُنَّ البُكى

And they went away, bliss makes them laugh

While their absence kills me with weeping

حَلَفتُ لَهُنَّ بِأُمِّ الكِتابِ

لَقَد بَلَغَ الوَجدُ أَقصى الحَشا

I swore to them by the Mother of the Book

Indeed ardor has reached its utmost extremity

وَناشَدتُهُنَّ ذِمامَ الهِلالِ

وَما فيهِ مِن رَحمَةٍ أَو هُدى

And I adjured them by the crescent's bridle

Which contains no mercy or guidance

فَأَقبَلنَ مِن جَنَباتِ الرِياضِ

رَياحينَ مُخضَلَّةً بِالنَدى

Then they came from the gardens' sides

Breezes dripping with dew

فَصافَحنَني فَلَثَمتُ الأَكُفَّ

فَلَمّا اِنطَلَقنَ لَثَمتُ الثَرى

They greeted me so I kissed palms

When they departed, I kissed the ground

ذَهَبنَ يَطُفنَ عَلى المُحسِنين

فَحَرَّكنَ كُلَّ يَدٍ لِلنَدى

They went bestowing upon the virtuous

Moving every hand to generosity

وَما كانَ ذَلِكَ مِن هَمِّهِنَّ

وَلا هُنَّ مِمَّن حُرِمنَ الغِنى

That was not out of their concerns

Nor were they among those deprived of riches

وَلَكِنَّهُنَّ مَدَدنَ الأَكُفَّ

لِرَأبِ الثَأى وَلِكَشفِ الأَذى

But they extended their palms

To mend separation and relieve distress

رَثَينَ لِجَرحى كساها الحِفاظُ

سَوابِغَ مِن عَلَقٍ يُمتَرى

They clothed the wounded their mantles enveloped

Layers of fine gossamer

جَزى اللَهُ قَوماً دُعوا لِلنَوالِ

فَفاضَت أَكُفُّهُمو بِاللُهى

May God reward a people called to bounty

So their palms overflowed with blessings

ذَوائِبُ تَأسو كُلومَ الغُزاةِ

وَتَشعَبُ مِنها صَديعَ القِوى

Braids that humble the armor of warriors

And from which the sinews of might branch out

تَدافَعنَ في غَمَراتِ السَماحِ

تَدافُعَهُم في غِمارِ الوَغى

Jostling in the billows of generosity

As they jostle in the darkness of battle

جَزى اللَهُ كُلَّ فَتىً ماجِدٍ

يَصونُ الذِمارَ وَيَحمي الحِمى

May God reward every glorious hero

Who defends the household and protects sanctuary