يا خَليلَيَّ سائِلا الأَطلالا

بِالبُلَيَّينِ إِن أَجَزنَ سُؤالا

O my companion asking ruins

about the places of encampment, if they permit a question,

وَسَفاهٌ لَولا الصَبابَةُ حَبسي

في رُسومِ الدِيارِ رَكباً عِجالا

Foolishness, were it not for youthful vigor,

would have kept me riding hastily in the ruins.

بَعدَ ما أَوحَشَت مِن آلِ الثُرَيّا

وَأَجَدَّت فيها النِعاجُ الظِلالا

After the family of Thurayya deserted it

and the sheep took shade in it.

يَفرَحُ القَلبُ إِن رَآكِ وَتَستَع

بِرُ عَيني إِذا أَرَدتِ اِحتِمالا

My heart rejoices when it sees you,

though my eyes intend not to show endurance,

وَلَئِن كانَ يَنفَعُ القُربُ ما أَز

دادُ فيما أَراكِ إِلّا خَبالا

And if nearness were beneficial, I have only

increased in what I see of you, nothing but disgrace,

غَيرَ أَنّي ما دُمتِ جالِسَةً عِن

دي سَأَلهو ما لَم تُريدي زَيالا

Except that while you sit before me

I will indulge in what you do not want of me.

فَإِذا ما اِنصَرَفتِ لَم أَرَ لِلعَي

شِ اِلتِذاذاً وَلا لِشَيءٍ جَمالا

So when you turn away, I see no delight in life

Nor beauty in anything.

أَنتِ كُنتِ الهَوى وَرُؤيَتُكِ الخُل

دَ وَكُنتِ الحَديثَ وَالأَشغالا

You were my passion and seeing you my pleasure,

And you were my discourse and preoccupation.

حُلتِ دونَ الفوآدِ وَالتَذَّكِ القَل

بُ وَخَلّى لَكِ النِساءُ الوِصالا

You have lodged in the hearts and memories

And the women have left intimacy for you.

وَتَخَلَّقتِ لي خَلائِقَ أَعطَت

كِ قِيادي فَما مَلَكتُ اِحتِمالا

And you have assumed with me qualities that

Gave you my obedience, and I could not resist.

أَيُّها العاذِلي أَقِلَّ عِتابي

لَم أُطِع في وِصالِها العُذّالا

O reproacher, lessen your reproach of me!

I did not obey her in union.

إِنَّ ما قُلتُ وَالَّذي عِبتُ مِنها

لَم يَزِدها في العَينِ إِلّا جَلالا

Truly, what I said and complained of her

Only increased her beauty in the eyes.

لا تَعِبها فَلَن أُطيعَكَ فيها

لَم أَجِد لِلوُشاةِ فيها مَقالا

Do not blame her, for I will not obey you about her.

I have not found for the slanderers any means with her.

فيمَ بِاللَهِ تَقتُلينَ مُحِبّاً

لَكِ بِالوَصلِ مُخلِصاً بَذّالا

By God, why do you kill a lover sincere

To you, loyal and devoted?

وَلَعَمري لَئِن هَمَمتِ بِقَتلي

لَبِما قَد قَتَلتِ قَبلي الرِجالا

By my life, if you think to kill me,

It is for she has killed men before me.

حَدِّثيني عَن هَجرِكُم وَوِصالي

أَحَراماً تَرَينَهُ أَم حَلالا

Tell me of your estrangement and my union with you -

Do you see it prohibited or permitted?

فَاِحكُمي بَينَنا وَقولي بِعَدلٍ

هَل جَزاءُ المُحِبِّ إِلّا الوِصالا

So judge between us, and speak justly -

Is not the reward of a lover nothing but intimacy?

لَيتَني مِتُّ يَومَ أَلثَمُ فاها

إِذ خَشينا في مَنظَرٍ أَهوالا

Would that I had died the day I kissed her mouth,

When we feared, in that terrible sight!

إِذ تَمَنَّيتِ أَنَّني لَكِ بَعلٌ

آهٍ بَل لَيتَني بِخَدَّكِ خالا

Would that for you I were a husband,

Alas! Would that for your cheek I were a mole!

وَبَنو الحارِثِ بنِ ذُهلٍ تَبَنّى

في ذُرى المَجدِ فَرعُها فَاِستَطالا

And the sons of Al-Harith ibn Duhl embraced

glory's scions, and it elongated its branches.