أَلا لَيتَ أَيّامَ مَضَينَ تَعودُ

فَإِن عُدنَ يَوماً إِنَّني لَسَعيدُ

Alas! If only the days of the past could return

For if they did for a day, I would indeed be happy

سَقى دارَ لُبنى حَيثُ حَلَّت وَخَيَّمَت

مِنَ الأَرضِ مُنهَلُّ الغَمامِ رَعودُ

It watered the abode of Lubna wherever she settled and camped

From the land the rains of clouds poured forth thunder

عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ إِن دَنَت أَو تَباعَدَت

فَإِن تَدنُ مِنّا فَالدُنوُّ مَزيدُ

In any case, whether she came near or kept her distance

If she comes near to us, then her nearness is an increase

فَلا اليَأسُ يُسليني وَلا القُربُ نافِعي

وَلُبنى مَنوعٌ ما تَكادُ تَجودُ

So neither despair consoles me, nor does closeness benefit me

And Lubna is forbidden, she almost never gives

كَأَنِّيَ مِن لُبنى سَليمٌ مُسَهَّدٌ

يَظَلُّ عَلى أَيدي الرِجالِ يَميدُ

It is as if I am a docile camel from Lubna

Lying down at the hands of men, yielding

رَمَتني لُبَينى في الفُؤادِ بِسَهمِها

وَسَهمُ لُبَينى لِلفُؤادِ صَيودُ

Lubna shot me in the heart with her arrow

And Lubna's arrow is fatal for the heart

سَلا كُلُّ ذي شَجوٍ عَلِمتُ مَكانَهُ

وَقَلبي لِلُبنى ما حَيِيتُ وَدودُ

Greetings to all who pine, I know their place

And my heart is forever loving to Lubna

وَقائِلَةٍ قَد ماتَ أَو هُوَ مَيِّتٌ

وَلِلنَفسِ مِنى أَن تَفيضَ رَصيدُ

And saying he is dead or that he is dying

But my soul still has provision to bestow

أُعالِجُ مِن نَفسي بَقايا حُشاشَةٍ

عَلى رَمَقٍ وَالعائِداتُ تَعودُ

I deal with the remnants of my vanished ardour

On a thread, though the lost ones can return

فَإِن ذُكِرَت لُبنى هَشِشتُ لِذِكرِها

كَما هَشَّ لِلثَديِ الدَرورِ وَليدُ

If Lubna is mentioned I yearn at her mention

As the young yearns for the suckling breast

أُجيبُ بِلُبنى مَن دَعاني تَجَلُّدا

وَبي زَفَراتٌ تَنجَلي وَتَعودُ

I respond to those calling me with Lubna, stoically

And sighs burst forth from me and return

نُعيدُ إِلى رَوحِ الحَياةَ وَإِنَّني

بِنَفسِيَ لَو عايَنتِني لَأَجودُ

We restore life’s soul though I

Were she to see me, would be most generous