أَلا يا بَكرُ قَد طَرَقا

خَيالٌ هاجَ لي الأَرَقا

O Bakr, a restless dream has come to me,

Stirring sorrow and depriving me of sleep.

أَجازَ البيدَ مُعتَرِضاً

فَعَرضَ الوادِ فَالشَفَقا

It crossed the desert, appearing at dusk

Across the valley that separated us.

لِهِندٍ إِنَّ ذِكرَتَها

تُرى مِن شيمَتي خُلُقا

If I mention my beloved Hind,

You’ll see good character in my manners.

وَلَو عَلِمَت وَخَيرُ العِل

مِ لِلإِنسانِ ما صَدَقا

If she knew—and the best knowledge

Is what proves truest for a person—

بِأَنَّ بِها حَديثَ النَف

سِ وَالأَشعارَ إِن نَطَقا

That she occupies my soul in verse

And speech, whenever it speaks,

وَحُبّاً راضِياً لِلقَل

بِ لَم أَخلِط بِهِ مَلَقا

And a heartfelt love I haven’t mixed

With any falseness, she wouldn’t blame.

فَما مِن مُغزِلٌ أَدما

ءُ تُزجي شادِناً خَرِقا

No fair maiden cards wool more finely

Than she, when she appears with graceful neck.

بِأَحسَنَ مُقلَةً مِنها

إِذا بَرَزَت وَلا عُنُقا

One morning when she left, I too prepared

To depart, intending to follow her.

غَداةَ غَدَت تُوَدِّعُنا

وَقَد أَزمَعتُ مُنطَلِقا

You’d see her glances leave the eyes

Of her admirers streaming with tears.

تَرى إِنسانَ مُقلَتِها

بِدَمعِ العَينِ قَد شَرِقا

She swore a sincere oath that she was made

By the hand of the One who created all.

وَقَد حَلَفَت يَميناً بِر

رَةً بِمَحَلِّ مَن خَلَقا

For ages I’ve been bound by ropes of love—

Ropes like those that bind her shoulders.

لَقَد عُلِّقتُ مِن عُمَرٍ

حِبالاً مِثلَها عَلِقَ