أَلَم تَسأَلِ الأَطلالَ وَالمُتَرَبَّعا

بِبَطنِ حُلَيّاتٍ دَوارِسَ بَلقَعا

Did you not ask the ruins and the one sitting

In the belly of rolling sands, wearing worn-out rags,

إِلى الشَريِ مِن وادي المُغَمَّسِ بُدِّلَت

مَعالِمُهُ وَبلاً وَنَكباءَ زَعزَعا

Having changed its landmarks and become

Afflicted with tribulation and upheaval?

فَيَبخَلنَ أَو يُخبِرنَ بِالعِلمِ بَعدَما

نَكَأنَ فُؤاداً كانَ قِدماً مُفَجَّعا

Will it then be stingy or inform with knowledge after

It had lacerated a heart that was once agonized?

بِهِندٍ وَأَترابٍ لِهِندٍ إِذِ الهَوى

جَميعٌ وَإِذ لَم نَخشَ أَن يَتَصَدَّعا

About a love for Hind and towns of Hind, when passion

Was all-encompassing and we did not fear it would crack.

وَإِذ نَحنُ مِثلُ الماءِ كانَ مِزاجُهُ

كَما صَفَّقَ الساقي الرَحيقَ المُشَعشَعا

When we were like water and its mixture

Was as the drink-pourer blends spiced drink.

وَإِذ لا نُطيعُ العاذِلينَ وَلا نَرى

لِواشٍ لَدَينا يَطلُبُ الصَرمَ مَطمَعا

And when we did not obey the blamers, nor did we see

A slanderer among us seeking to find fault.

تُنوعِتنَ حَتّى عاوَدَ القَلبَ سُقمُهُ

وَحَتّى تَذَكَّرتُ الحَديثَ المُوَدَّعا

You varied until the heart regained its sickness,

And until I remembered the farewell conversation.

فَقُلتُ لِمُطريهِنَّ وَيحَكَ إِنَّما

ضَرَرتَ فَهَل تَسطيعُ نَفعاً فَتَنفَعا

So I said to the rain-bearers: Woe to you! You have only

Harmed, so can you bring benefit? Then do so!

وَأَشرَيتَ فَاِستَشرى وَإِن كانَ قَد صَحا

فُؤادٌ بِأَمثالِ المَها كانَ موزَعا

And you made drink one whose heart was with the likes

Of wild cows once composed.

وَهَيَّجتَ قَلباً كانَ قَد وَدَّعَ الصِبا

وَأَشياعَهُ فَاِشفَع عَسى أَن تُشَفَّعا

And you stirred up a heart that had bid youth farewell

And its pleasures, so intercede – maybe you will intercede!

لَئِن كانَ ما حَدَّثتَ حَقّاً فَما أَرى

كَمِثلِ الأُلى أَطرَيتَ في الناسِ أَربَعا

If what you told was true, still, I do not see

That you roamed among people like a lost camel.

فَقالَ تَعالَ اِنظُر فَقُلتُ وَكَيفَ بي

أَخافُ مَقاماً أَن يَشيعَ فَيَشنُعا

He said: Come look! And I said: How can I,

When I fear a stance that may become scandalized?

فَقالَ اِكتَفِل ثُمَّ اِلتَثِم وَأتِ باغِياً

فَسَلِّم وَلا تُكثِر بِأَن تَتَوَرَّعا

So he said: Veil yourself, then wrap your face and go to the loved ones,

Greet, and do not refrain excessively out of coyness.

فَإِنّي سَأُخفي العَينَ عَنكَ فَلا تُرى

مَخافَةَ أَن يَفشو الحَديثُ فَيُسمَعا

For I will hide your eyes from them, so you will not be seen,

Fearing the story will spread and be heard.

فَأَقبَلتُ أَهوى مِثلَما قالَ صاحِبي

لِمَوعِدِهِ أَزجي قَعوداً مُوَقَّعا

So I went, yearning, just as my companion said,

To his tryst creeping while feeling uneasy.

فَلَمّا تَواقَفنا وَسَلَّمتُ أَشرَقَت

وُجوهٌ زَهاها الحُسنُ أَن تَتَقَنَّعا

When we stopped and I greeted, faces shone

With beauty that disdains to veil itself.

تَبالَهنَ بِالعِرفانِ لَمّا رَأَينَني

وَقُلنَ اِمرُؤٌ باغٍ أَكَلَّ وَأَوضَعا

They recognized me when they saw me

And said: “A lover who fulfilled and settled.”

وَقَرَّبنَ أَسبابَ الهَوى لِمُتَيَّمٍ

يَقيسُ ذِراعاً كُلَّما قِسنَ إِصبَعا

And they brought the means of love closer to one infatuated

Who measures a span whenever a finger is folded.

فَلَمّا تَنازَعنا الأَحاديثَ قُلنَ لي

أَخِفتَ عَلَينا أَن نُغَرَّ وَنُخدَعا

When we had exchanged talk, they said to me:

“You hid from us lest we be deceived and tricked.

فَبِالأَمسِ أَرسَلنا بِذَلِكَ خالِداً

إِلَيكَ وَبَيَّنّا لَهُ الشَأنَ أَجمَعا

Just yesterday we sent Khalid to you

And explained the matter to him in full.

فَما جِئتَنا إِلّا عَلى وَفقِ مَوعِدٍ

عَلى مَلَإٍ مِنّا خَرَجنا لَهُ مَعا

You did not come to us except at the appointed time,

When we came out together to it in a group.

رَأَينا خَلاءً مِن عُيونٍ وَمَجلِساً

دَميثَ الرُبى سَهلَ المَحَلَّةِ مُمرِعا

We saw a lonely place, empty of spies and a sitting place

Of lasting shade and easy access.”

وَقُلنا كَريمٌ نالَ وَصلَ كَرائِمٍ

فَحَقَّ لَهُ في اليَومِ أَن يَتَمَتَّعا

And we said: “A noble one attained and met nobles,

So it is his right today to enjoy himself.”