أَبعدَ مُقامي في دَباوَندِ أَبتَغي

دِمَشقَ لَقَد حاوَلتُ عَنقاءَ مُغرِبِ

After staying in Debwand, I longed

For Damascus, though the eagle never grasped my hand,

وَما قَبَضَت كَفُّ الخَضيبِ عَلى يَدي

وَلا حَطَّ فَوقَ الطائِرِ النسرِ مَركبي

Nor did my steed alight atop the high-flying bird.

So well for those people there, so well

فَيا حَبَّذا قَومٌ هُناكَ وَحَبَّذا

مِنَ الأَرضِ غَربِيُّ الحَدالى وَغُرَّبِ

For the Arab in the west with dusk and gray hair.

If a pass overlooking Damascus appears to me,

لَئِن أَشرَفَت بي في الشَآمِ ثَنيَةٌ

أَرى كَوكَباً مِن فَوقِها مِثل كَوكَبِ

I will see a star above it like a shining star.

To my right loomed a brilliance as though

وَلاحَ سَنيرٌ عَن يَميني كَأَنَّهُ

سَنامٌ رَعيبٌ فَوقَ غارِبِ مُصعَبِ

It were a terrifying lion above a dusky mountain.

The snowy mountains shone like flowers, as if

وَلاحَت جِبالُ الثَلجِ زُهراً كَأَنَّها

ضِياءُ صَباحٍ أَو مَفارِقُ أَشيَبِ

They were the glow of dawn or the departure of elders.

My heart took delight in the meadows of Tel Rahit

وَشامَت قَلوصي مِن حِمى تل راهِطٍ

رِياضاً حَكَت وَشيَ اليَماني المُعَصَّبِ

Which the Yemeni shepherd had depicted and adorned.

I let them graze in the shade of Al-Ahwa, overflowing

وَسَرَّحتُها في ظِلِّ أَحوى تَدَفَّقَت

بِأَرجائِهِ الأَمواهُ مِن كُلِّ مَشرَبِ

With water from every spring.

When their shepherd was lost, his birds

إِذا ضاعَ رَيّاهُ أَذاعَت طُيورُهُ الـ

ـحَديثَ فَتَغني عَن قِيانٍ وَمشحبِ

Chattered, singing of Qian and Mashhab.

Honor to Dafir, when its fire blazed

لِعزَّةَ دَفرٌ حينَ توقَدُ نارُها

لَدَيهِ وَمِتفالٌ بِهِ أُم جُندَبِ

Near him, and Umm Jundab glorified him!

I forgave time its sins

غَفَرتُ لِدَهري ما جَنى مِن ذُنوبِهِ

وَأَصبَحتُ راضي القَلبِ عَن كُلِّ مُذنِبِ

And my heart was pleased with every sinner.

I yearn for honored people there

أَحِنُّ إِلى قَومٍ هُناكَ أَعِزَّةٍ

عَلَيَّ وَقَومٍ في عِراصِ المُقَطَّبِ

And people in the thickets of Al-Muqattab.

Can I hope, after trying in India, to return

أَأَرجو وَقَد حاوَلتُ في الهِندِ عَودَةً

إِلَيهِم لَقَد حاوَلتُ أَطماعَ أَشعَبِ

To them? Indeed I tried, desiring the slopes of Ash'ab.