نَظَرتُ وَللأُدْمِ النَّوافِخِ في البُرى

بِشَرقِيِّ نَجدٍ يا هُذَيمُ حَنينُ

I looked, and for the sand dunes amid the expanse in the east of Najd, O Huthaym, yearning

To some traces of Numayr, as though they were

إِلى خَفِراتٍ مِن نُمَيرٍ كَأَنَّها

ظِباءٌ كَحيلاتُ المَدامِعِ عِينُ

Gazelles, like the twisting tears of the eyes

Whenever we vie in speech, then the love-lorn heart turns to it

إِذا ما تَنازَعنَ الحَديثَ اِشتَفى بِهِ

مِنَ الوَجدِ مَتبولُ الفؤادِ حَزينُ

Grieving, overflowing with passion

As though that which I confided in it was a pearl

كَأَنَّ الَّذي استُودِعتُهُ مِنهُ لؤلؤٌ

يَلوحُ عَلى اَيدي التِّجارِ ثَمينُ

Gleaming in the hands of merchants, precious

And she had heard of me, so joy visited her

وَقَد سَمِعَتْ بي فاِعتَرَتها بَشاشَةٌ

وَمِثلي بِها عندَ الكِرامِ قَمينُ

And the like of me, in their eyes, refined

The cheek, ear, throat, bright cheek and brow

وَسَدَّ خِصاصَ الخِدرِ طَرفٌ وَمَسمَعٌ

وَنَحرٌ وَخَدٌّ واضِحٌ وَجَبينُ

Complete the beauty of the temple

And Suleima said "Welcome! It appears to us

وَقالَت سُليمَى مَرحَباً بِكَ مالَنا

نَرى أَثَرَ البَلوى عَلَيكَ يَبينُ

The marks of affliction are clear upon you"

So Huthaym, her confidante and adviser

فَقالَ هُذَيمٌ وَهوَ خِلِّي وَناصِحٌ

لَها وَعَلى أَسرارِهِنَّ أَمينُ

Faithful to their secrets, responded

"Do you not know that fickle fate has wronged him

أَلَم تَعلَمِي أَنَّ الصَّبابَةَ أَجحَفَتْ

بِهِ وَأَخوكِ العامِريُّ سَمينُ

And your brother al-Aamiri has grown fat?"

She said "Who are you, desiring his lineage?"

فَقالَتْ لَهُ مَن أَنتَ تَبغي اِنتِسابَهُ

فَقالَ هِجانٌ لَم يَلِدهُ هَجينُ

He said "Hijan, no hybrid bore me;

My father is Ulaymi the carpenter, and my mother

أَبوه عُلَيمِيُّ النِّجارِ وَأُمُّهُ

أَبوها زُهَيريٌّ نَماهُ عَرينُ

Her father was Zuhayri; the wolves raised me"

She said "May God banish him far

فَقالَت يمانٍ أَبعَدَ اللَهُ دارَهُ

لَهُ مِن نِزارٍ صاحِبٌ وَخَدِينُ

From Nizari, his companion and confidante"

"Begone! No dog has lasting lodging in our land

تَنَحَّ فَما لِلحَيِّ كَلب بِأَرضِنا

قَرارٌ يَقيها النائِباتِ مَكينُ

That would protect it from sudden calamities"

We rejoiced at her dog simile, which maddened him,

فَرحنا وَبالكَلبِيِّ غَيظٌ يُجِنُّهُ

وَلِي مِن هَواها زَنَّةٌ وَأَنينُ

And from her love I gained an illness and moaning,

As though we two, with the driver of the camels,

كَأَنّي وَإِيّاهُ بِسائِقَةِ النَّقا

أَخو سَقَمٍ يَشكو الجِراحَ طَعينُ

Were brothers, both complaining of our wounds' pain.