بَكُرَ الخَليطُ وَفي العيونِ مِنَ الجَوى

دُفَعُ النَّجيعِ وَبِالقُلوبِ شُواظُ

The tents were struck at dawn, with languor in the eyes,

The camel-litters were made ready, and hearts were burning.

وَالرَّكْبُ مِنْ دَهَشِ النَّوَى في حَيْرَةٍ

لا راقِدُونَ وَلا هُمُ أَيْقاظُ

The caravan was distraught with love of the halted places,

Neither slumbering nor awake.

وَبَدَتْ لنا هَيْفاءُ مُخْطَفَةُ الحَشى

فَتَنَاهَبَتْ وَجَناتِها الأَلْحاظُ

And there appeared to us a tribe of lovely maidens,

Who snatched away our hearts with a ravishing glance.

في نِسْوَةٍ رَقَّتْ خُدوداً أُشْرِبَتْ

ماءَ الشبيبَةِ وَالقُلوبُ غِلاظُ

Their cheeks soft virgins, nurtured in beauty,

Yet their hearts sturdy and bold.

فَكأَنّما أَلْفاظُها عَبَراتُها

وَكأنَّما عَبَراتُها الألْفاظُ

Their words were like their tears, their tears like their words,

Their words tears, their tears words.