هَلّا عَصَيتَ هَواكَ يا اِبنَ الأَحنَفِ

إِذ لا نَصيرَ لِدَمعِكِ المُتَوَكِّفِ

Why did you not resist your love, O son of Al-Ahnaf

When there is no comforter for your flowing tears

بِأَبي وَأُمّي ظَبيَةً أَبصَرتُها

تِلكَ العَشِيَّةَ فَوقَ سَطحٍ مُشرِفِ

By my father and mother, I saw a gazelle

That evening, above an overlooking roof

نَظَرَت مِنَ السَطحِ الرَفيعِ وَحَولَها

بيضُ الوَصائِفِ كَالظِباء العُكَّفِ

She looked from the high roof, and around her

Were white tents like hovering clouds

نَظَرَت إِلَيكَ بِمُقلَةٍ مَحزونَةٍ

نَظَرَ الصَحيحِ إِلى المَريضِ المُدنَفِ

She looked at you with a sad eyelash

The look of the healthy towards the ill and weak

وَلَقَد رَفَعتُ لَها الرِداءَ مُوَدِّعاً

بَعدَ البُكاءِ وَبَعدَ طولِ المَوقِفِ

And I bid her farewell, raising the cloak

After crying and after prolonged standing

إِنّي لَأَحمَدُ مَن يَدومُ وِصالُهُ

وَأَذُمُّ كُلَّ مُواصِلٍ مُستَطرِفِ

I praise those whose companionship endures

And blame all fleers, hastily departing