يا نُعمَ قَد طالَت مُماطَلَتي

إِن كانَ يَنفَعُ عاشِقاً مَطَلُه

O Nu'm, your procrastination has been prolonged

If waiting benefits a lover, then our healing

كانَ الشِفاءُ لَنا وَمُنيَتُنا

مِنكِ الحَديثَ فَغالَنا غِيَلُه

And our death would be

In hearing you, so we miss that

فَفَديتُ مَن أُشفى بِرُؤيَتِهِ

وَأَبى وَكانَ كَثيرَةً عِلَلُه

I ransomed the one who was cured by seeing him

But he refused though he had many ailments

ظَبيٌ تُزَيِّنُهُ عَوارِضُهُ

وَالعَينُ زَيَّنَ لَحظَها كُحُلُه

A gazelle adorned by its attributes

And the eye adorned by its kohl

وَلَوَ اِنَّها بَرَزَت لِمُنتَصِبٍ

قَسٍّ طَويلِ اللَيلِ يَبتَهِلُه

Had she appeared to an erect, steadfast

Tall knight spending the nights beseeching

سَيّارِ أَرضٍ لا أَنيسَ بِها

فيها شَريعَتُهُ وَمُبتَقَلُه

Roaming a land without companions

In it are his law and destination

لَصَبا وَأَلقى عَنهُ بُرنُسَهُ

وَسَعى وَأَهوَنُ سَعيِهِ رَمَلُه

He stood firmly and took off his cloak

And strove, making his striving easier than sand

حَتّى يُعايِنَها مُعايَنَةً

غَزِلاً وَحَقَّ لِقَسِّهِم غَزَلُه

Until he beholds her closely

As a woven thread, and their steadfastness deserves to be woven

كُنّا نُؤَمِّلُ أَن نَفوزَ بِهِ

فيمَن نُؤَمِّلُهُ وَنَختَتِلُه

We hoped to attain him

Among those we hope for and converse with

حَتّى أُتيحَ لِظَبيِنا رَجُلٌ

مِن أَهلِ مَكَّةَ زانَهُ حُلَلُه

Until there came to our gazelle a man

From Mecca, adorned by his garments

يَغدو عَلَيهِ الخَزُّ يَسحَبُهُ

وَيَروحُ في عَصبٍ وَيَبتَذِلُه

Who goes to it in the morning pulling his train

And returns in a band, humbling it

فَرَمى فَأَقصَدَها بِرَميَتِهِ

وَرَنا فَمُهِّدَ لِلفَتى أَجَلُه

So he shot, and hit his mark

And it moaned, facilitating the youth's fate

قالَت لِقَيناتٍ يَطُفنَ بِها

حَولي وَدَمعي دائِمٌ سَبَلُه

She said to the companions going around her

My eyes and tears, continuous are their streams

أَنتُنَّ زينَتُنَّ فُرقَتَنا

وَلِكُلِّ صاحِبِ زينَةٍ عَمَلُه

You are our adornment, our separation

And for every friend, his deed is his adornment

لا تُعجِلاهُ أَن يُسائِلَنا

إِن كانَ شَفَّ فُؤادَهُ ثِقَلُه

Do not hasten him to ask us

If the heaviness of his heart has been lifted

فَفَدَيتُ حامِلَهُ وَحاضِرَهُ

وَفَدَيتُ ما يَسمو بِهِ جَمَلُه

I ransom the carrier and the present one

And I ransom what his perfection ascends with

وَفَدَيتُ مَن كانَت مَساكِنُهُ

بِالسَهلِ أَو مُستَوعَرٌ جَبَلُه

And I ransom the one whose dwellings

Were in the plain or a rugged mountain