برقٌ تألَّق مِن تِهامَه
صَدَعَ القلوبَ المُستهامَهْ
A lightning sparkled from its cloud
It cracked the infatuated hearts
تصبو اليه إذا بدا
يهتزُّ في ذيلِ الغمامَهْ
They yearn for it when it appears
It trembles in the tail of the cloud
يبدو ويخبو تارةً
كالسيفِ أغمدَهُ وشامَه
It shows and hides sometimes
Like the sword, sheathed, polished
بَكَرَ العذولُ يلومُ
صَبّاً ليس تثنيه الملامَه
The young blames the morning rain
His blame does not deter it
ما للمحبِّ وللملامِ
لقد نضا عنه لِثامَه
What is the lover's and blamer's concern
Its veil has slipped off from it
مِن أين يسمعُه عزيم
هوًى أطال بهِ غرامَه
Where can resolute hear from
The passion that prolonged his love
يهوَى لُمَى ظبي الصريمِ
فهل يَرى يوماً لمامَه
He craves for the roe of meadows
Will he ever see his wishes fulfilled
مازالَ يسألُ أو يرومُ
عن النقا أو ريمِ رامَه
He still asks and aspires
For the she-camel, or a grazing she-camel
ألهتْهُ حمرَةٌ ريقِهِ
في الحبِّ عن شربِ المُدامَه
The redness of its saliva distracted him
From drinking wine in love
عَطِرٌ تأرَّجَ عَرْفُه
كالمِسكِ تَسلُبهُ خِتامَه
A fragrance perfumed his glory
Like musk, missing its seal
ملَكَ الغرامُ عِنانَه
واقتادَ للبلوى زِمامَه
Passion took over his rein
And led him to affliction, holding his rope
وأذلَّهُ مِن بعدِ عِزّ
كانَ لا يخشى انفصامَه
And humiliated him after honor
He did not fear its breaking
فأضاعَهُ مَنْ كانَ
يأمُلُ أنَّه يرعى ذِمامَه
So he lost who used to
Hope to hold its rope
والحبُّ ما منعَ البليغ
على بلاغتِهِ كلامَه
And love did not prevent the eloquent
from his eloquence and speech
يلقى الحبيبَ فما يُطيقُ
إليه أن يشكو اهتِضامَه
He meets the beloved, cannot bear
To complain to him of his own condition
ما أومضَ البرقُ اللموعُ
على رُبا نجدٍ فشامَهْ
The shining lightning did not glitter
Upon the hills of Nejd and Syria
اِلاّ وذكَّرَهُ مِنَ
المحبوبِ في الليلِ ابتسامَه
Except it reminded him
Of the beloved's smile at night
ما زارهَ كالبدرِ تجلو
منه غرَّتُه ظلامَه
It did not visit him like the full moon
Without its light dispelling his darkness
اِلاّ وحيّاهُ محيّاهُ
بما روّى اُوامَه
Except it greeted him, greeting him
With what quenched his thirst
يا راكباً يفلي الفلا
مِن فوقٍ أعيسَ كالنعامَه
O rider of the excellent horse
Speeding from above like an ostrich
ذرعَ القفازٌ وقد أطار
الاْينُ في المرمى لُغامَه
The brave pierced and threw
The spear in the target for a bull's eye
كالسهمِ في الخرقِ القصيِّ
يكادُ أن يشأى سَمامَه
Like an arrow in the pierced skin
Almost grilling its fat
مِن فوقهِ كَلِفٌُ يحنُّ
إذا تغرَّدتِ الحمامَه
Above it is a sentinel bending
Whenever the dove coos
ما غرَّدتْ إلا وعاودَ
مِن تذكُّرِه هُيامَه
It did not coo except he renewed
His passionate remembrance
باللهِ أن جئتَ الحِمى
ورأيتَ عن بعدٍ خيامَه
By Allah, if you come to the sanctuary
And see its tents from afar
بلِّغْ أُغيلمَةً بهنَّ
إذا مررتَ بها سلامَه
Send regards to the maidens therein
When you pass by, greet them
عن مغرمٍ دَنِفٍ بَرَى
تَذكارُ قربهمُ عظامَه
On behalf of a spurned, heart-broken lover
The nearness of their homes revived his bones
ماهبَّ مِن روضِ الحمى
اِلاّ وأذكرنَي بَشامَه
He did not roam the meadows of the sanctuary
Except it reminded him of Damascus
يسري بريحِ ثُمامهِ
سقَّى حيا جفني ثُمامَه
Walking with its northern wind
The northern wind quenched his thirst
