لِقَلبي بِغَورَيَّ البِلادِ لُبانَةٌ

وَإِن كُنتُ مَسدوداً عَلَيَّ المَطالِعُ

My heart has a yearning for the depths of the country,

Even if the horizons are blocked to me,

لَعَلِّيَ أُعطى وَالأَمانيُّ ضِلَّةٌ

وَإِنَّ اللَيالي مُعطَياتٌ مَوانِعُ

Perhaps I will be granted my wish, though wishes are misleading,

And nights, though preventing, are givers.

مَبيتِيَ في أَثوابِ ظَمياءَ لَيلَةً

بِوادي الغَضا وَالعاذِلونَ هَواجِعُ

I spent a night in the garb of a dark night

In the valley of separation, while the blamers blamed,

وَما نُطفَةٌ مَشمولَةٌ بِمَجَمَّةٍ

وَعاها صَفاً مِن طامِنِ الطَودِ فارِعُ

Not a teardrop enclosed in an eyelid,

Which a file of lofty camels protected.

مِنَ البيضِ لَولا بُردُها قُلتُ دَمعَةٌ

مُرَنَّقَةٌ ما أَسلَمَتها المَدامِعُ

Were it not for its cold, I would say a white teardrop

Imprisoned, which tears did not set free,

بِأَعذَبَ مِمّا نَوَّلَتنيهِ مَوهِناً

وَقَد شيمَ بِالغَورِ النُجومُ الطَوالِعُ

Sweeter than the gifts of the carper who weakened me,

And the stars rose to the horizons.

أَرى بَعدَ وِردِ الماءِ في القَلبِ غُلَّةً

إِلَيكَ عَلى أَنّي مِنَ الماءِ ناقِعُ

After drinking water I see darkness in my heart,

To you, though I am of the water, a rebel.

وَإِنّي لَأَقوى ما أَكونُ طَماعَةً

إِذا كَذَّبَت فيكَ المُنى وَالمَطامِعُ

And I am strongest when I am most greedy

If hopes and wishes belie you.