أَمِن ذِكرِ فارٍ بِالمُصَلّى إِلى مِنىً

تُعادُ كَما عيدَ السَليمُ المُؤَرَّقُ

Is it from the mention of one who halted at al-Muṣallá going to Miná,

That grief should be renewed, like the greeting of a sleepless one worn out with care;

حَنيناً إِلَيها وَاِلتِواءً مِنَ الجَوى

كَأَنَّكَ في الحَيِّ الوَلودُ المُطَرِّقُ

Yearning for it and twisting because of the heat of love,

As if you were the young camel kneeling, with eagerness?

أَأَللَهُ إِنّي إِن مَرَرتُ بِأَرضِها

فُؤادِيَ مَأسورٌ وَدَمعِيَ مُطلَقُ

O God, if I pass by her abode

my heart is a captive and my tears flow;

أَكُرُّ إِلَيها الطَرفَ ثُمَّ أَرُدُّهُ

بِإِنسانِ عَينٍ في صَرى الدَمعِ يَغرَقُ

I turn my eyes towards it, then I turn them away,

A man whose eyes overflow with tears.

هَوايَ يَمانٍ كَيفَ لا كَيفَ نَلتَقي

وَرَكبِيَ مُنقادُ القَرينَةِ مُعرِقُ

My passion for Yaman - how, no how can we meet,

When my riding-beast is guided by the bridle?

فَواهاً مِنَ الرَبعِ الَّذي غَيَّرَ البِلى

وَآهاً عَلى القَومِ الَّذينَ تَفَرَّقوا

Woe for the encampment which has changed through decay,

And woe for the people who have become dispersed!

أَصونُ تُرابَ الأَرضِ كانوا حُلولُها

وَأَحذَرُ مِن مَرّي عَلَيها وَأُشفِقُ

I guard the dust of the earth where they lodged,

And am wary of treading on it, and careful;

وَلَم يَبقَ عِندي لِلهَوى غَيرَ أَنَّني

إِذا الرَكبُ مَرّوا بي عَلى الدارِ أَشهَقُ

And there remains with me, for love, naught but that whenever

The caravan passes by me, I sigh.