علل خليلك فالفؤاد عليل

يا حادياً دمع المحب يسيل

Comfort your friend, for the heart is ailing.

O camel-driver, the lover's tears flow.

واعد علي حديث من سكن الغضا

ها للغضا مني الفؤاد مقيل

And repeat to me the tale of the one who dwelt among the ghada trees.

Lo, among the ghada trees my heart finds its noonday rest.

اواه منه ومن اليم فراقه

فعليه حزني يا هذيم طويل

Alas for him, and for the pain of parting from him!

So my grief for him, O Hudhaym, is long.

ابكي اذا الحادي حدا بنعوته

بجميع اجزائي اليه تميل

I weep when the camel-driver sings his praises,

With every part of me inclining toward him.

وجدي كثير في هواه ولوعتي

لكنما صبري عليه قليل

My yearning and anguish in loving him are great,

Yet my patience with him is little.

آه على ايام قرب قد مضت

والحب دان والعذول خجيل

Ah, for the days of closeness that have passed!

When love was near and the reproacher abashed,

والوقت صاف والزمان مسالم

والظل من وشي الغصون ظليل

And the hours were serene, and time was at peace,

And deep was the shade from the boughs' embroidery.

ولمنيتي محي الكئيب لطفه

طرف يميت العاشقين كحبل

And my heart's desire, whose gentleness revives the sorrowful,

Has a gaze that slays lovers like a rope.

في رمشه يا للعشيرة مغمد

عضب حديد المضربين صقيل

Within his lashes—O clansmen!—lies sheathed

A keen sword, sharp on both edges, polished bright.

والجيد كالفجر الملألإ ساطع

والخد يعبق بالورود اسيل

And his neck shines like the glittering dawn,

And his smooth cheek is fragrant with roses.

يختال في رحبي على ما اشتهي

ما للوشاة به عليّ سبيل

He struts in my open courtyard, just as I desire;

The slanderers have no power over me where he is concerned.

واليوم ازعجني النوى بفراقه

صبر على هذا الفراق جميل

And today distance has distressed me with parting from him;

Patience in this separation is beautiful.

يا من يطير له الفؤاد وللنوى

منه رعيل طارق ورعيل

O you for whom the heart takes wing, while parting

From you brings one troop by night, then another.

بحياة ذاتك وهي في دين الهوى

قسمي وقدرك في الفؤاد جليل

By your very life, which in the faith of love

Is my oath—and your worth within my heart is great—

صلني ودع هذا الجفاء فغاية ال

دنيا الفناء ولا يدوم خليل

Rejoin me and leave this estrangement, for the end of the

World is extinction, and no friend endures.