سَقى مَنزِلَينا يا بُثَينَ بِحاجِرِ

عَلى الهَجرِ مِنّا صَيِّفٌ وَرَبيعُ

Our homes have been watered, O Buthaina, with light rain

While we were away - a summer and spring -

وَدَورَكِ يا لَيلى وَإِن كُنَّ بَعدَنا

بَلينَ بِلىً لَم تَبلَهُنَّ رُبوعُ

And your abodes, O Layla, though far from us

Were made soft, very soft, by the seasons

وَخَيماتِكِ اللاتي بِمُنعَرَجِ اللَوى

لَقُمرِيِّها بِالمُشرِقينَ سَجيعُ

And your tents at the winding sands' crest

With their moons so bright in the east -

يُزَعزِعُ فيها الريحُ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ

هَزيمٌ بِسُلّافِ الرِياحِ رَجيعُ

The wind shakes them every evening

A defeated rout before the winds' onslaught

وَإِنِّيَ أَن يَعلى بِكِ اللَومُ أَو تُرَي

بِدارِ أَذىً مِن شامِتٍ لَجُزوعُ

And I fear lest you be blamed, or seen

In a house of woe by a gloating foe

وَإِنّي عَلى الشَيءِ الَّذي يُلتَوى بِهِ

وَإِن زَجَرَتني زَجرَةً لَوَريعُ

Yet I'll bear what I'm wrapped up in

Though you chide me, for I am pliant

فَقَدتُكِ مِن نَفسٍ شَعاعٍ فَإِنَّني

نَهَيتُكِ عَن هَذا وَأَنتِ جَميعُ

I've lost a ray of light from my soul, for I

Forbade you this, while you were all to me

فَقَرَّبتِ لي غَيرَ القَريبِ وَأَشرَفَت

هُناكَ ثَنايا ما لَهُنَّ طُلوعُ

So you drew near one far away, and climbed

There, slopes never lit by the sun

يَقولونَ صَبٌّ بِالغَواني مُوَكَّلٌ

وَهَل ذاكَ مِن فِعلِ الرِجالِ بَديعُ

They say passion holds sway over the impassioned

But is that what men of worth do?

وَقالوا رَعَيتَ اللَهوَ وَالمالُ ضائِعٌ

فَكَالناسِ فيهُم صالِحٌ وَمُضيعُ

And they said, "You grazed freedom and wealth lies wasted"

Yet people are some righteous, some lost