طَرَقتْ علوَةُ والرَّملُ شجٍ

بالدُّجى والأَنجُمُ الزُهرُ جُنوحُ

The high sand dunes were struck at dusk,

By gloom and glittering stars that weep.

حَيث غَنَّى ابنُ عليم طَرباً

وَالحَمامُ الوُرقُ في الأَيكِ تَنوحُ

Where Ibn Alim sang melodiously,

And doves were cooing in the bushes and thickets.

وأَريجُ المسكِ مِن أَردانِها

يُوقَظُ الرَّكبُ بِهِ حينَ يَفوحُ

The fragrance of musk from her braids

Would awaken the caravan when exuded.

وأَحسوا بِسُراها فاِنثنتْ

بِفؤادِ الصَبِّ وَالدَّمعُ سَفوحُ

And they sensed her charm so she swayed

The youth’s heart as tears flowed freely.

وهيَ تَسري روضَةً مطلولَةً

كَيفَ يُخفي نَشرَهُ الرَّوضُ النَّفوحُ

She walked through the garden exposed

How could the burgeoning garden conceal her blossoming beauty?

فَأَضاءَ الصُّبحُ واجتازَ بنا

بارِقٌ مِن خِلَلِ المُزنِ لَموحُ

The dawn lit up and we passed by

A glimpse through the misty darkness flickered.

وكلا النُّورَينِ مِن مَسفَرِها

وَثَناياها عَلى النَّأيِ يَلوحُ

Both lights from her radiance

And her folds in the distance appeared.

فتَبَصرتُ فَلَم تؤْنِسْهما

مُقلَةٌ في وَشَلِ الدَّمعِ سَبوحُ

I looked but could not find solace

In swollen tears of deep sorrow drowning.

تُظهِرُ الوجدَ الَّذي أُضمِرُهُ

وَعَناءٌ مَرَحُ الطَّرفِ الطَّموحُ

Revealing the passion I harbored

And the restless, roving glance of ambition.

إِن تَبُح بالسِّرِّ عَينٌ دَمَعَتْ

فَدموعُ العَينِ بِالسِّرِّ تَبوحُ

If the eye weeps and confides the secret

Then the eye's tears will reveal the secret.