وَلَقَد قُلتُ يَومَ بانوا لِبَكرٍ

أَنتَ يا بَكرُ سُقتَنا ذا المَساقا

I said, when they set out for Bakr,

"O Bakr, you led us on smoothly."

أَنتَ قَرَّبتَني إِلى الحينِ حَتّى

حُمِّلَ القَلبُ مِنهُمُ ما أَطاقا

You brought me close to them until

The heart was laden with more than it could bear.

وَلَقَد قُلتُ لا أَبا لَكَ دَعني

إِنَّ حَتفي في أَن أَزورَ الرِفاقا

And I said, "No harm to you, leave me be!

For my destiny lies in visiting friends."

إِنَّ قَصري أَن يُشعَرَ القَلبُ سُقماً

مِن سُلَيمى مُخامِراً وَاِشتِياقا

My failing is that the heart feels sick

With yearning for Sulaima's wine.

قَد أَرانا وَلا أُسَرُّ بِأَن تَج

مَعَ دارٌ وَلا نُبالي الفِراقَ

They showed us - though I'm not pleased that you came -

A house, and we care not for parting.

ثُمَّ وَلَّوا وَما قَرابَةُ مَن حَلَّ

بِنَجدٍ مِمَّن يَحِلُّ العِراقا

Then they left, and no kinship remains

With one who dwells in Nejd, from one who inhabits Iraq.