ذَكَّرَتني الدِيارُ شَوقاً قَديماً

بَينَ خَيصٍ وَبَينَ أَعلى يَسوما

The abodes reminded me of an ancient longing

Between Khays and the highest Yasum

بِالشَليلِ الَّذي أَتى عَن يَميني

قَد تَعَفَّت إِلّا ثَلاثاً جُثوما

By the torrent which came from my right

Only three were left thrombosed

وَنَخيباً مُسَحَّجاً أَوطَنَ العَر

صَةَ فَرداً أَبى بِها أَن يَريما

And a valley furrowed which the Arab homeland inhabited

As an isolated woman who refused to allow it to be demolished

وَعِراصاً تُذري الرِياحُ عَلَيها

ذا بُروقٍ جَوناً أَجَشَّ هَزيما

And a plain on which the winds blow

With lightning flashing and roaring thunder

وَدُعاءَ الحَمامِ تَدعو هَديلاً

بَينَ غُصنَينِ هاجَ قَلباً سَقيما

And the cooing of the dove calls out mournfully

Between two branches that stirred a sick heart

غَرِداً فَاِستَمَعتُ لِلصَوتِ فَاِنهَل

لَت دُموعي حَتّى ظَلِلتُ كَظيما

Cheerfully so I listened to the voice and tears streamed down

Until I was saturated and gloomy

عُجتُ فيهِ وَقُلتُ لِلرَكبِ عوجوا

وَدُموعُ العَينَينِ تُذرى سُجوما

I lingered there and said to the caravan turn aside

While tears from the eyes flow copiously

فَثَنَوا هِزَّةَ المَطيِّ وَقالوا

كَيفَ نَرجو مِن عَرصَةٍ تَكليما

So they turned aside the camel’s saddle and said

How can we hope for speech from a silent woman?

وَمَقاماً قُمنا بِهِ نَتَّقي العَي

نَ لَهَونا بِهِ وَذُقنا النَعيما

And a place we stood in to protect ourselves from disgrace

Sporting there and tasting bliss

مِن لَدُن فَحمَةِ العِشاءِ إِلى أَن

لاحَ وَردٌ يَسوقُ جَوناً بَهيما

From the onset of evening to the appearance

Of roses leading a delightful camel

وَقُميرٌ بَدا اِبنُ خَمسٍ وَعِشري

نَ لَهُ قالَتِ الفَتاتانِ قوما

And a full moon rising the son of fifteen nights

To which the maidens said "Rise"

ثُمَّ قالَت وَدَمعُها يَغسِلُ الكُح

لَ مِراراً يَخالُ دُرّاً نَظيما

Then she said, her tears washing the kohl

Bitterly the pearl is depleted

لا يَكونَنَّ آخِرَ العَهدِ هَذا

يا اِبنَ عَمّي وَلا تُطيعَن نَموما

This will not be the last time

O cousin do not obey the sleepers

ثُمَّ قالَت لِتِربِها إِنَّ قَلبي

مِن هَواهُ أَمسى مُصاباً كَليما

Then she said to her companion my heart

Has become wounded by his love

رُبَّ لَيلٍ سَمَرتُ فيهِ قَصيرٍ

وَرَفيقٍ قَد كانَ كُفؤاً كَريما

Many a brief night I have conversed in

With a friend who was generous and noble

ثُمَّ أَحيَيتُهُ أُنازِعُ فيهِ

شادِناً أَحوَراً أَغَنَّ رَخيما

Then I would rouse him, contending over him

A curly-haired youth who sang gently

باتَ وَهناً يَمُجُّ في فِيَّ مِسكاً

شابَ ثَلجاً وَعاتِقاً مَختوما

He spent the night frail, redolent of musk

Lying against me and being reserved

ثُمَّ إِنَّ الصَباحَ دَلَّ عَلَينا

إِذ رَأَينا مِنَ السَباحِ نُجوما

Then morning pointed out to us

When we saw stars from the swimming