وَما ظَبيَةٌ مِن ظِباءِ الأَرا

كِ تَقرو دِمَثَ الرُبى عاشِبا

No doe in the wilderness nurtures her fawn

With finer milk than she shows at daybreak

بِأَحسَنَ مِنها غَداةَ الغَميمِ

إِذا أَبدَتِ الخَدَّ وَالحاجِبا

When her cheek and eyebrow appear.

One day she said to her servant,

غَداةَ تَقولُ عَلى رِقبَةٍ

لِخادِمِها إِحبِسي الراكِبا

"Stop the rider!"

So her companion said, "Why so gloomy

فَقالَت لَها فيمَ هَذا الكَلا

مُ في وَجهِها عابِساً قاطِبا

And frown-faced?"

She replied, "A nobleman came visiting

فَقالَت كَريمٌ أَتى زائِراً

يَمُرُّ بِنا هَكَذا جانِبا

And passed us by."

A stranger came to our abode as guest

غَريبٌ أَتى رَبعَنا زائِراً

فَأَكرَهُ رَجعَتَهُ خائِبا

And I regret his leaving unsuccessful.

For love of you I've loved one who was not

لِحُبِّكِ أَحبَبتُ مَن لَم يَكُن

صَفيّاً لِنَفسي وَلا صاحِبا

My soulmate or boon companion.

And I spend my money to please you all,

وَأَبذِلُ مالي لِمَرضاتِكُم

وَأُعتِبُ مَن جاءَني عاتِبا

Reproaching whoever finds fault with me.

I seek the love of those I never sought

وَأَرغَبُ في وُدِّ مَن لَم أَكُن

إِلى وُدِّهِ قَبلِكُم راغِبا

Before your love to covet and desire.

If people should take one side of the earth

وَلَو سَلَكَ الناسُ في جانِبٍ

مِنَ الأَرضِ وَاِعتَزَلَت جانِبا

And settle, and the other side stay vacant,

I would follow their ruins, for I see

لَأَتبَعتُ طِيَّتَها إِنَّني

أَرى قُربَها العَجَبَ العاجِبا

Being near them is a marvelous marvel.