أَمِن آلِ سَلمى الطارِقُ المُتأَوِّبُ

إِليَّ وَبيشٌ دونَ سَلمى وَكَبكَبُ

Is it one of the family of Salma, the night visitor continuously turning about,

That has come to me, while between me and Salma lie a howdah and mosquito net?

فَكِدتُ اشتياقاً إِذ أَلَمَّ خَيالُها

أَبوحُ وَيَبدو مِن هَوايَ المُغَيَّبُ

I all but died of yearning when her phantom came to me;

I rave and my secret love appears.

وَيَوماً بِذي بيشٍ ظَللت تَشَوُّقاً

لِعَينَيكَ أَسرابٌ مِنَ الدَمعِ تُسكَبُ

One day at Dhatu Bayshin I lingered, yearning

For your eyes – hosts of tears pouring from them.

أُتيحَت لَنا إِحدى كِلابِ بنِ عامِرٍ

وَقَد يُقدَرُ الحَينُ البَعيدُ وَيُجلَبُ

One of the she-dogs of Banu ‘Amir was granted to us

And a time far off may be fore-ordained and brought nigh.

بِأَرضٍ نأى عَنها الصَديقُ وَغالَني

بِها مَنزِلٌ عَن طيَّةِ الحيِّ أجنَبُ

In a land far removed from which the friend withdrew from me

I have a dwelling, remote from the quarters of the living, intimate ones.

وَما هَرَبَت مِن حاجَةٍ نَزَلَت بِها

وَلَكِنَّها مِن خَشيَةِ الجُرمِ تَهرُبُ

She fled not from any want that befell her,

But fled for fear of crime.

أَقامَت بِبيشٍ في ظِلالٍ وَنِعمَةٍ

لَها قَيِّمٌ يَخشى الجَرائر مُذنِبُ

She stayed at a howdah, in pleasant shade,

With her a protector, fearing sins, who wrongs.

غَريبٌ نأَى عَن أَرضِهِ وَسَمائِهِ

ليَحيى وَطولُ العمر أمر محبّبُ

A stranger, far removed from his land and his skies,

That he might live, and length of life is a thing beloved.