إِنَّ مَن تَهوى مَعَ الفَجرِ ظَعَن

لَلهَوى وَالقَلبُ مِتباعُ الوَطَن

He who wanders at dawn with longing

Is longing of the heart and homeland-bound

بانَتِ الشَمسُ وَكانَت كُلَّما

ذُكِرَت لِلقَلبِ عاوَدتُ دَدَن

The sun rose and whenever mentioned

My heart returned to its fervor

نَظَرَت عَيني إِلَيها نَظرَةً

مِهبَطَ الحُجّاجِ مِن بَطنِ يَمَن

My eyes looked upon it a look

Of pilgrims’ descent from the womb of Yemen

مَوهِناً تَمشي بِها بَغلَتُها

في عَثانينَ مِنَ الحَجِّ ثُكَن

Walking feebly with her camel

Through pilgrimage throngs from Othman

فَرَآها القَلبُ لا شَكلَ لَها

رُبَّما يُعجَبُ بِالشَيءِ الحَسَن

The heart saw her without form

It may admire a thing of beauty

قُلتُ قَد صَدَّت فَماذا عِندَكُم

أَحسَنُ الناسِ لِقَلبٍ مُرتَهَن

I said she turned away, what have you

Better for a heart held captive?

وَلَئِن أَمسَت نَواها غَربَةً

لا تُؤاتيني وَلَيسَت مِن وَطَن

If her vows strangerhood at night

Neither comes she, nor is she native

فَلَقِدماً قَرَّبَتني نَظرَتي

لِعَناءٍ آخِرَ الدَهرِ مُعَن

With but a glance she drew me near

To hardship, last of days, how mean!

ثُمَّ قالَت بَل لِمَن أَبغُضُكُم

شِقوَةَ العَيشِ وَتَكليفَ الحَزَن

Then she said, “Nay! But whom you hate

Most, rigor of life and duty of grief”

بَل كَريمٌ عَلَّقَتهُ نَفسُهُ

بِكَريمٍ لَو يُرى أَو لَو يُدَن

Nay! A noble soul attached himself

To a noble, though seen or brought near

سَوفَ آتي زائِراً أَرضَكُمُ

بِيَقينٍ فَاِعلَميهِ غَيرِ ظَن

I will come visiting your land

With certainty, let her know, no doubt

فَأَجابَت هَذِهِ أُمنِيَّةٌ

لَيتَ أَنّا نَشتَريها بِثَمَن

She answered: “This is a wish

Would we could buy it with a price!”

وَهيَ إِن شِئتَ تَسيرُ نَحوَنا

لَو تُريدُ الوَصلَ أَو تُعقَلَ عَن

“If you want union, understand

It will come to us if you desire”

نَصَّكَ العيسُ إِلَينا أَربَعاً

تَملِكُ العَينَ إِذا العاني وَهَن

Jesus has advised you four things

With the loved the eyes grow tender