أَباكِرَةٌ في الظاعِنينَ رَميمُ

وَلَم يُشفَ مَتبولُ الفُؤادِ سَقيمُ

In the early dawn, among those stirring, a beloved

Whose love-sick heart is not cured by a flowing drink

أَمِ اِتَّعَدَ الحَيُّ الرَواحَ فَإِنَّني

لِكُلِّ الَّذي يَنوى الأَميرُ وَجومُ

Or did the living soul take leave and depart, for I am

Obedient to all the prince desires and commands

فَراحوا وَراحَت وَاِستَمَرَّت كَأَنَّها

غَمامَةُ دَجنٍ تَنجَلي وَتَغيمُ

So they left, and it left, and continued, as if it were

A rain cloud of evening that clears and then clouds over

مُبَتَّلَةٌ صَفراءُ مَهضومَةُ الحَشا

غَذاها سُرورٌ دائِمٌ وَنَعيمُ

A withered, sallow, broken-spirited thing

Fed ever by joy and contentment

قَدِ اِعتَدَلَت فَالنِصفُ مِن غُصنِ بانَةٍ

وَنِصفٌ كَثيبٌ لَبَّدَتهُ سَجومُ

She had matured, so half was branch of Bana

And half like a sandhill where bitter herbs grow

مُنَعَّمَةٌ أَهدى لَها الجيدَ شادِنٌ

وَأَهدَت لَها العَينَ القَتولَ بَغومُ

Luxuriant, to her the noble one gave gifts

And to her the languid eye of the smooth-cheeked gazelle

تَراخَت بِها دارٌ وَأَصبَحَتِ العُدى

لَدَيها كَما شاؤوا وَقالَ نَمومُ

A house was abandoned for her, and the enemies

Before her were as they wished, said the spy

رَميمُ الَّتي قالَت لِجاراتِ بَيتِها

ضَمِنتُ لَكُم أَن لا يَزالُ يَهيمُ

The beloved who said to the women neighbors

I guarantee you he will not cease wandering

ضُمِنتُ لَكُم أَن لا يَزالَ كَأَنَّهُ

لِطَيفِ خَيالٍ مِن رَميمَ غَريمُ

I guarantee you he will remain as if

A phantom of the imagination of a strange, hostile beloved

وَقالَت لِأَترابٍ لَها شَبَهِ الدُمى

تَنَكَّبنَ شَيئاً وَالدُموعُ سُجومُ

And she said to some near relations like her

Turn aside a little, while the tears cloud over

وَلِلفِتيَةِ اِنحازوا قَليلاً فَإِنَّهُ

لَنا في أُمورٍ قَد خَلَونَ ظَلومُ

And to the young men, withdraw a little, for he

Has wronged us in some matters, unjust, unfair

وَقالَت لَهُنَّ اِربَعنَ شَيئاً لَعَلَّني

وَإِن لامَني في ما اِرتَأَيتُ مُليمُ

And she said to them, stay away for a time, perhaps

If I am blamed for what I thought best, I may be forbearing

فَقالَت نَرى مُستَنكَراً أَن تَزورُنا

وَتَشريفُ مَمشانا إِلَيكَ عَظيمُ

So she said, We think it strange for you to visit us

And your honoring our dwelling is a great thing

وَأَنتَ عَلَينا إِن نَأَيتَ وَإِن دَنَت

بِكَ الدارُ فَاِعلَم يا اِبنَ عَمِّ كَريمُ

You are privileged over us, whether you come or stay away

The house is ennobled through you, dear cousin

فَقُلتُ لَها وُدّي وَتَكرِمَتي لَكُم

عَلى كُلِّ ما أُصفيكِ مِنكِ طُعومُ

So I said to her, My love and esteem for you

Is stronger than any food you censure me for

وَلَم أَنسَ ما قالَت وَإِن شَطَّتِ النَوى

بِها وَأَميرٌ ما يَزالُ شَتومُ

Nor did I forget what she said, though the fires

Raged in me, while the prince remains quarrelsome

عَشيَّةَ رُحنا مِلغَميمِ وَصُحبَتي

تَخُبُّ بِهِم عَيسٌ لَهُنَّ رَسيمُ

In the evening we left depressed, and my company

Were spies for them, a gentle wind for them

فَقُلتُ لِأَصحابي اِنفُذوا إِنَّ مَوعِداً

لَكُم مَرَّ وَليَربَع عَلَيَّ حَكيمُ

So I said to my friends, Carry out my request, for

An appointment has passed; leave me and return, O wise one