صَرَمَت حَبلَكَ البَغومُ وَصَدَّت

عَنكَ في غَيرِ ريبَةٍ أَسماءُ

The storm has severed your rope and the rain

Has turned away from you names beyond doubt.

وَالغَواني إِذا رَأَينَكَ كَهلاً

كانَ فيهِنَّ عَن هَواكَ اِلتِواءُ

And when maidens see you aged,

In them is a turning away from your love.

حَبَّذا أَنتِ يا بَغومُ وَأَسما

ءُ وَعَيصٌ يَكُنُّنا وَخَلاءُ

Excellent are you, O storm and rain,

And a lover who brings us together and privacy.

وَلَقَد قُلتُ لَيلَةَ الجَزلِ لَمّا

أَخضَلَت رَيطَتي عَلَيَّ السَماءُ

And indeed I said on the night of downpour

When my tether darkened over me from the sky:

لَيتَ شِعري وَهَل يَرُدَّنَّ لَيتٌ

هَل لِهَذا عِندَ الرَبابِ جَزاءُ

Would that I knew, would a wish return?

Is there any reward for this with the maidens?

كُلُّ وَصلٍ أَمسى لَدَيَّ لِأُنثى

غَيرَها وَصلُها إِلَيها أَداءُ

Every union I had turned to another woman,

Its connection to her, not to the one sought.

كُلُّ أُنثى وَإِن دَنَت لِوِصالٍ

أَو نَأَت فَهيَ لِلرَبابِ فِداءُ

Every woman, though she comes close to a union

Or attains it, is ransom for the maidens.

فَعِدي نائِلاً وَإِن لَم تُنيلي

إِنَّهُ يَنفَعُ المُحِبَّ الرَجاءُ

So return a winner even if you don't attain,

For hope benefits the lover.