أَلَيلَتَنا بِالحَزْنِ عودي فَإِنَّني

أُطامِنُ أَحشائي عَلى لَوعَةِ الحُزْنِ

My night has returned in sorrow, so return,

For I seek solace for my grieving heart,

وَأُذري بِهِ دَمعاً يُرَوّي غليلَهُ

فَلَم يَتَحَمَّل بَعدَهُ مِنَّةَ المُزْنِ

And shed tears to quench its burning thirst,

It can no longer bear the pain of sadness.

وَأُقسِمُ بالبَيتِ الرَّحيبِ فِناؤُهُ

وَبالحَجَرِ المَلثومِ وَالحَجَرِ الرُكْنِ

I swear by the spacious house, its courtyard,

By the Black Stone and the cornerstone,

لأَنتِ إِلى نَفسي أَحَبُّ مِنَ الغِنَى

وَذِكرُكِ أَحلى في فُؤادي مِنَ الأَمْنِ

You are dearer to me than wealth itself,

And your memory sweeter to my heart than safety.

فَكَم غادَةٍ جَلَّى ظَلامَكِ وَجهُها

وَبَدرُ الدُّجَى مِن حاسديها عَلى الحُسْنِ

How many bright moons has her face outshone,

While the moon of dusk envied her beauty.

خَلَوتُ بِها وَحدي وَثالِثُنا التُّقَى

وَرابِعُنا ماضي الغِرارَين في الجَفنِ

Alone we were, with piety our chaperone,

And roving glances our fourth companion.

يَذودُ الكَرى عَنّا حَديثٌ كَعِقدِها

فَلَمّا اِفتَرَقنا صارَ كالقُرطِ للإُذْنِ

Our intimate talk kept harm away,

When we parted, it was like losing an earring.

وآخِرُ عَهدي بِالمَليحَةِ أَنَّني

رَمَقتُ بِذاتِ الرِّمثِ نارَ بَني حِصنِ

My last glimpse of the beautiful one was

When I spied the glow of Bani Hisn’s fire.

فَحَيَّيْتُ أَهلَ الضَّوءِ وَهيَ تَشُبُّها

عَلى قِصَدِ الخَطِّيِّ بالمَندَلِ اللَّدنِ

I greeted the people of light while she resembled

The straight-walking she-camel in her long shift.

فَقالوا مَنِ السَّاري وَقَد بَلَّهُ النَّدَى

فَقُلتُ ابنُ أَرضٍ ضَلَّ في لَيلَةِ الدَّجنِ

“Who is this traveler whom the dew has soaked?” they asked.

I said, “A man who lost his way on a dark night.

لَهُ حاجَةٌ بالغَورِ وَالدَّارُ بِالحِمى

وَنَجدٌ هَواهُ وَهيَ تَعرِفُ ما أَعني

He has business in the valley while his home’s protected,

Najd is his passion while she knows what I mean.”