فَلَمّا وَدَّعونا وَاِستَقَلّوا

عَلى صُهبٍ هَواديهِنَّ قودُ

When they bade farewell and rode away

On the graceful mounts, my heart gave way.

شَكَوتُ إِلى الغَواني ما أُلاقي

وَقُلتُ لَهُنَّ ما يَومي بَعيدُ

To the sand dunes I poured out my grief;

Parting would bring naught but pain and grief.

فَفاضَت عَبرَةٌ أَشفَقتُ مِنها

تَسيلُ كَأَنَّ وابِلَها الفَريدُ

I wept till tears flowed in plenty,

Like heavy rains pouring rapidly.

فَقُلنَ بَكَيتَ قُلتُ لَهُنَّ كَلّا

وَقَد يَبكي مِنَ الشَوقِ الجَليدُ

"You wept?" they asked. I said, “Nay,

Even stone can melt from ardour’s sway.”

وَلَكِنّي أَصابَ سَوادَ عَيني

عُوَيدُ قَذىً لَهُ طَرَفٌ حَديدُ

“Then why,” they persisted, “are your eyes so red?”

I said, “A speck entered that I dread.

فَقُلنَ فَما لِدَمعِهِما سَواءً

أَكِلتا مُقلَتَيكَ أَصابَ عودُ

Its point was steel and caused me pain.

That is why both eyes shed rain.”

فَقَبلَ دُموعِ عَينِكَ خَبَّرَتنا

بِما جَمجَمتَ زَفرَتُكَ الصَعُودُ

“Your tears,” they deduced, “and that deep sigh

Tell what your heart cannot deny.”