قَرَّبَ جيرانُنا جِمالَهُمُ

لَيلاً فَأَضحَوا مَعا قَدِ اِندَفَعوا

Our neighbors brought their camels

At night, and in the morning they set out together

ما كُنتُ أَدري بِوَشكِ بَينَهُمُ

حَتّى رَأَيتُ الغَداةَ قَد طَلَعوا

I did not know they were about to depart

Until I saw them leaving in the morning

عَلى مِصَكَّينِ مِن جِمالِهُمُ

وَعَنتَريسَينِ فيهِما شَجَعُ

With two camel-litters upon their camels

And two courageous young men riding them

قَد كادَ قَلبي وَالعَينُ تَبصُرُهُم

لَمّا تَوارَوا بِالغَورِ يَنصَدِعُ

My heart and eyes almost burst seeing them

As they disappeared into the valley

يا قَلبِ صَبراً فَإِنَّهُ سَفَهٌ

بِالمَرءِ أَن يَستَفِزَّهُ الجَزَعُ

O heart, be patient, for it is foolish

For one to be provoked by sorrow

ما وَدَّعونا كَما زَعَمتَ وَلا

مِن بَعدِ أَن فارَقوا لَنا طَمَعُ

They did not bid us farewell, though you claimed so

After they left us, there is no longer hope

هَل يُبلِغَنها السَلامَ أَقرَبُها

عَنّي وَإِن يَفعَلوا فَقَد نَفَعوا

Will the closest of them deliver my greetings?

If they do so, they will have been of use

ما إِن أَرَدنا وِصالَ غَيرِهِمُ

وَلا قَطَعناهُمُ كَما قَطَعوا

We did not intend to meet others

Nor did we cut them off, as they cut us off

وَلا ضَنِنّا عَنهُم بِنائِلِنا

وَلا خَشينا الَّتي بِها وَقَعوا

Nor were we stingy with our camels toward them

Nor did we fear that which befell them

حَتّى جَفَونا وَنَحنُ نَتبَعُهُم

أَلَيسَ بِاللَهِ بِئسَ ما صَنَعوا

Until we were indifferent as we followed after them

How awful is what they have done!