صاحِ إِن جزتَ بذي الأثل فَحي

ساكني تلكَ الرُبى حيّاً فحَي

O friend, if you pass by the beloved's abode, give greetings

To the dwellers of that hill, greet them well.

وقِفِ الركبَ بشرقيّ الحِمى

بين حُزوى وَثنيّاتِ اللِوي

Stop the caravan at the east of the sanctuary,

Between Huza and the meadows of Liwa.

وإذا اِستَسقَيتَ فاِستَسقِ له

بدل السُحب الغوادي مُقلتَي

And if you seek rain, then seek it for him,

Instead of clouds, tears from my eyelids.

يا رعى اللَه بسفحِ المنحنى

رشأً تحميه آسادُ لؤي

O Allah's pasture on the slopes of the valley,

Young grass guarded by noble lions.

كَم معنّىً بهواه لم يَزَل

سائراً يَطوي إِليهِ البيدَ طَي

Many meanings in his love never ceased

Roaming to it, the distance folds to him.

إنَّ غيّي في هواه رشدٌ

وَرَشادي في سلوّي عنه غَي

My error in his love is guidance,

And my guidance in turning away from him is error.

لا تَلُمني إِن أَمت وجداً به

كُلُّ ميتٍ هو في الأَحباب حَي

Blame me not if I die in love for him,

Every dead soul by the loved ones is alive.

وَبِنَفسي غادَةٌ مقصورةٌ

باللوى تَلوي ديونَ الصَبِّ لي

My soul confined and restricted

Is twisted by passion, in debts of youth.

إِن تُشِر للشَمس والبَدر تقُل

هذه أُختي وذيّاك أخي

If you point the sun and moon you say

This is my sister and that your brother.

إِن بذلتُ الروحَ في حبّي لها

فَلَها المنَّةُ في البذل عَلي

If I gave my soul in love for her

Then for her is grace in giving upon me.

كُلُّ صَبٍّ في الهَوى ما لَم يكن

سَمِحاً بالروح لم يَسمَح بشَي

Every youth in love unless he be

Generous with his soul, is not generous at all.

وإِليه يَنتَهي البخلُ ولو

أَنَّه في جوده حاتِمُ طَي

To him stinginess leads though he be

The most generous, like Hatem Al-Tai.

ساقَني الحُبُّ كما قادَني

فَهو من خَلفي ومن بين يدَي

Love led me just as it steered me,

It is behind me and before me.

يا نَدامايَ بجمعٍ ومنىً

هَل لِعَهدي بهما عَودٌ إِلي

O my two abodes of gathering and wishes,

Is there for my pact with you two a return to you?

حَيث عَيشي بالتَداني رَغدٌ

وَالهَوى طوعي ومن أَهوى لَدي

Where my life in your nearness is blissful,

And the one I love, love is ready for me.

لا أَغبَّ المزنُ مَن أَمِّ القرى

منزلاً كانَ لأَسماءَ ومَي

Time does not make me forget who took abode,

In a house that was for Asma and May.

لَو دَعاني الدَهرُ يَوماً دعوةً

نحوه أَو قالَت الأَقدارُ هَي

If fate called me one day with a call

Towards it or destiny said come.

جئتُه أَسعى علىالرأَس وَلَم

أَرضَ للسَعي إِليه قدمي

I would come hastening on my head and have not

Lowered my feet to hasten to it.

يا حُداةَ العيس أَقصى أَملي

وَقفَةٌ بين كَداءٍ وكُدي

O young camel riders! My utmost hope

Is a stance between struggle and exhaustion.

وقفةٌ يَروى بها من زَمزَم

قَلبيَ الظمآن لا من ثغر رَي

A stance where my thirsty heart is quenched

Not from a mouth's water but from Zamzam.