راحَ صَحبي وَلَم أُحَيِّ النَوارا

وَقَليلٌ لَو عَرَّجوا أَن تُزارا

My friends left and I did not bid them farewell

It would have been little effort if they had stopped by to visit

ثُمَّ إِمّا يَسرونَ مِن آخِرِ اللَي

لِ وَإِمّا يُعَجِّلونَ اِبتِكارا

Then they will travel early tomorrow morning

Or they will hasten to depart

وَلَقَد قُلتُ لَيلَةَ البَينِ إِذ جُد

دَ رَحيلٌ وَخِفتُ أَن أُستَطارا

And I had said the night we parted as the

Caravan prepared to leave and I feared isolation:

لِخَليلٍ يَهوى هَوانا مُؤاتٍ

كانَ لي عِندَ مِثلِها نَظّارا

To a beloved friend who loves me dearly

Who would keep me company in such times

يا خَليلُ اِربَعَن عَلَيَّ وَعَينا

يَ مِنَ الحُزنِ تَهمُلانِ اِبتِدارا

Oh friend, turn your eyes upon me

Eyes that have been saddened by sorrow

هَهُنا فَاِحبِسِ البَعيرَينِ وَاِحذَر

رائِداتِ العُيونِ أَن تُستَنارا

Stop here and restrain the two camels and beware

Of the spying eyes that they are not lit

إِنَّني زائِرٌ قُرَيبَةَ قَد يَع

لَمُ رَبّي أَن لا أُطيقُ اِصطِبارا

Surely I am a neighbor who visits frequently

My Lord knows I cannot bear patience

قالَ فَاِفعَل لا يَمنَعَنكَ مَكاني

مِن حَديثٍ تَقضي بِهِ الأَوطارا

He said: then do so, do not let my place

Prevent you from talking to pass the time

وَاِلتَمِس ناصِحاً قَريباً مِنَ الوِر

دِ يُحِسُّ الحَديثَ وَالأَخبارا

And seek a trusted advisor who lives near,

One who perceives speech and news

فَبَعَثنا مُجَرَّبا ساكِنَ الري

حِ خَفيفاً مُعاوِداً بَيطارا

So we sent a seasoned messenger, who inhabits the wind,

Swift and repeating the message

فَأَتاها فَقالَ ميعادُكِ السَر

حُ إِذا اللَيلُ سَدَّلَ الأَستارا

He came to her and said: “your secret meeting

Is when the night has cast its veil”

فَكَمِنا حَتّى إِذا فُقِدَ الصَو

تُ دُجى المُظلِمِ البَهيمِ فَحارا

So we awaited until the voice

Was lost in the darkness of the desolate night

قُلتُ لَمّا بَدَت لِصَحبِيَ إِنّي

أَرتَجي عِندَها لِدَيني يَسارا

I said to my companions: “I hope

To find favor with her for my religion”

ثُمَّ أَقبَلتُ رافِعَ الذَيلِ أُخفي ال

وَطءَ أَخشى العُيونَ وَالنُظّارا

Then I came, raising my tail, hiding

My steps, fearing the spying eyes