هُمُ كَتَموني سِرَّهُم حينَ أَزمَعوا

وَقالوا اِتَّعِدنا لِلرَواحِ وَبَكَّروا

They hid their secret from me when they decided,

And said: "Wait for our return," and left early.

فَوا حَزَني أَن كانَ آخِرَ عَهدِنا

بِهِم ذَلِكَ اليَومُ الَّذي أَتَذَكَّرُ

I was saddened that our last time together

Was that day I still remember.

وَإِنّي لَأَهوى أَن أَرَى بَعضَ أَهلِها

وَإِن كانَ مِنهُم شانِئٌ يَتَذَمَّرُ

Though I yearn to see some of her people again,

Even if one of them complains and grumbles,

وَأَبدَأُ ما اِستَخبَرتُ عَنها بِغَيرها

لِتَحسَبَني عَن غَيرِها أَتَخَبَّرُ

I'll start by asking about others, not her,

So they'll think it's others I ask after.

وَقَد مُلِّيَت لينَ الشَبابِ كَأَنَّها

قَضيبٌ مِنَ الرَيحانِ رَيّانُ أَخضَرُ

And youth itself has grown gentle with me, as though

It were a green, fragrant sprig of basil.