1. هَل عَرَفتَ اليَومَ مِن شَن

    باءِ بِالنَعفِ رُسوما

    Have you recognized today Shanbāʾ's

    traces at al-Naʿf?

  2. غَيَّرَتها كُلُّ ريحٍ

    تَذَرُ التُربَ مُسيما

    Every wind has altered them,

    leaving the dust drifting;

  3. حَرجَفاً تُذري عَلَيها

    أَسحَماً جوناً هَزيما

    a fierce, cold wind scatters over them

    a black, dark, rumbling cloud.

  4. وَلَقَد ذَكَّرَني الرَب

    عُ شُؤُوناً لَن تَريما

    And indeed the campsite reminded me

    of cares that will never leave:

  5. يَومَ أَبدَت بِجَنوبِ ال

    خَيفِ رَفّافاً وَسيما

    the day she revealed, south of al-Khayf,

    a lovely, radiant face,

  6. وَشَتيتاً بارِداً تَح

    سَبُهُ دُرّاً نَظيما

    and cool, spaced teeth you would

    take for pearls strung in order.

  7. ثُمَّ قالَت وَهيَ تُذري

    دَمعَ عَينَيها سُجوما

    Then she said, while shedding

    the streaming tears of her eyes,

  8. لِلثُرَيّا قَد أَبى هَ

    ذا المُعَنّى أَن يَدوما

    to Thurayyā: "This one has refused—

    the tormented lover—to remain.

  9. أَخبِريهِ بِالَّذي أَل

    قى فَإِن كانَ مُقيما

    Tell him what I suffer;

    and if he is staying,

  10. فَليَعِدنا مَوعِداً لا

    نَتَّقي فيهِ نَموما

    then let him promise us a meeting where we will not

    fear a talebearer.

  11. وَليَكُن ذاكَ إِذا ما اِن

    تَصَفَ اللَيلُ بَهيما

    And let that be when

    the pitch-black night is halfway through."

  12. بَرَزَت بَينَ ثَلاثٍ

    كَالمَها تَقرو الصَريما

    She emerged among three women,

    like oryx ranging through the thicket.

  13. قَمَرٌ بَدرٌ تَبَدّى

    باهِراً يُعشي النُجوما

    A full moon appeared,

    dazzling, blinding the stars.

  14. قُلتُ أَهلاً بِكُمُ مِن

    زُوَّرٍ زُرنَ كَريما

    I said, "Welcome to you,

    visitors who have visited a generous man!"

  15. فَأَذاقَتني لَذيذاً

    خِلتُهُ راحاً خَتيما

    So she made me taste something delicious;

    I thought it was sealed wine.

  16. شابَهُ شَهدٌ وَثَلجٌ

    نَقَعا قَلباً كَليما

    Honey and snow were mixed with it;

    both soothed a wounded heart.

  17. ثُمَّ أَبدَت إِذ سَلَبتُ ال

    مِرطَ مُبيَضّاً هَضيما

    Then she revealed, as I stripped off the

    wrap, a fair, slender-waisted form.

  18. فَلَهَونا اللَيلَ حَتّى

    هَجَمَ الصُبحُ هُجوما

    So we played through the night until

    dawn burst in with a rush.

  19. قُلنَ قَد نادى المُنادي

    وَبَدا الصُبحُ فَقوما

    They said, "The caller has called,

    and dawn has appeared—so rise, you two!"

  20. قُمنَ يُزجينَ غَزالاً

    فاتِرَ الطَرفِ رَخيما

    They rose, gently leading along a gazelle,

    languid-eyed and soft-voiced.

  21. وَلَقَد قَضَّيتُ حاجا

    تي وَلاقَيتُ النَعيما

    And indeed I fulfilled my desires,

    and found bliss.