عَلى التَّلَعاتِ الحُوِّ مِن أَيمَنِ الحِمى

لِكَعبيَّةٍ آباؤُها طَلَلٌ قَفرُ

On the sweet slopes, blowing from the wellspring on the auspicious side,

Is a dwelling whose forefathers are ruins in the wasteland,

كَأَنَّ بَقاياهُ وَشائِعُ يُمنَةٍ

يُنشِّرُها كَيما يُغالي بِها التَّجرُ

As if its remnants were those of a right hand,

Which it displays, that traders might make much of it.

وَقَفنا بِهِ وَالعَينُ تَجري غُروبُها

وَتُرزمُ عِيسٌ في أَزِمَّتها صُعرُ

We stopped by it as the eye shed its setting,

And the goat bleated in its fold in despondency,

وَيَعذِلُني صَحبي وَيُسبِلُ دَمعَهُ

خَليلي هُذَيمٌ بَلَّ هامَتَهُ القَطرُ

My companions blame me and let their tears flow,

My friend Hudhaym - but the rain has soaked his mantle.

وَلَستُ أُبالي مَن يَلومُ عَلى الهَوى

فَلي في هَوى سَلمى وَأَترابِها عُذرُ

I do not care who blames me for passion,

For in my passion for Salma and her dwellings there is an excuse.

نَحيلَةُ مُستَنِّ الوِشاحِ خَريدَةٌ

إِذا نَهَضَت لَم يَستَطِع رِدفَها الخَصرُ

Slim of waist, wearing a flimsy robe, purchased,

When she gets up, the waist cannot retain her.

تَميسُ اِهتِزازَ الغُصنِ مِن نَشوَةِ الصِّبا

أَمِنْ مُقلَتَيها أَسكَرَ القَدَمَ الخَمرُ

She sways with the bending of the branch from the rapture of the zephyr,

Or has the wine from her glances intoxicated the foot?

وَما أَنسَ لا أَنسَ الوَداعَ وَقَولَها

بَني عَبدِ شَمسٍ أَنتُمُ في غَدٍ سَفْرُ

How forgetful she was! She did not forget the farewell, and her words:

"You, sons of the servant of the Sun, will travel tomorrow."

أَجَل نَحنُ سَفْرٌ في غَدٍ وَدموعُنا

بِنَحرِكِ أَو بالمَبسِمِ العِقدُ وَالثَّغرُ

Yes, we travel tomorrow, and our tears

Are in your throat or in the necklace and mouth.

وَرُحنا سِراعاً وَالقُلوبُ مَشوقَةٌ

أَقامَت بِها الأَشجانُ واِرتَحَلَ الصَّبرُ

And we went quickly, and the hearts were yearning,

Wherein grief stayed and patience departed.

حَمامَةَ ذاتِ السِّدرِ بِاللَهِ غَرِّدي

يُجاوبكِ صَحبي بالنَقا سُقِيَ السِّدرُ

O turtle-dove of the sidr, for God's sake sing!

My companions will answer you - the sidr is watered.

أَيُسعِدُ مَن يُدميجَوانِحَهُ النَّوى

حَمامٌ لَدَيهِ الإِلفُ وَالفَرخُ وَالوَكرُ

Does he who has built his love-nest rejoice

In a dove that has familiarity, chicks and a nest?

يُناغيهما حَتَّى يَميلَ إِلَيهما

إِذا اِكتَنَفاهُ الجيدُ مِنهُ أَوِ النَّحرُ

It coos to them until it inclines toward them

When the neck or the breast enfolds it.

وَلا يَستَفِزُّ الشَّوقُ إِلّا مُتَيَّماً

إِذا ذُكِرَ الأَحبابُ رَنَّحَهُ الذِّكرُ

Passion provokes none but the lovesick

When loved ones are remembered - remembrance excites him.

وَبالقارَةِ اليُمنى عَلى عَذَبِ الحِمى

عِذابُ الثَّنايا مِن سَجيَّتِها الهَجرُ

On the right dune, by the sweet wellspring,

Is the torment of the slopes from their estrangement.

تَذَكَّرتُها وَاللَّيلُ يُسبِلُ ظِلَّهُ

فَبِتُّ أريقُ الدَّمعَ حَتَّى بَدا الفَجرُ

I remembered her while the night let down its shade,

So I shed tears until dawn broke.