1. بَلَغَ المُرَعَّثَ في الرَحي

    لِ خَرائِدٌ مِنهُنَّ نَحبُه

    As he departed, al-Muraʿʿath was approached

    by fair maidens, among them his heart’s desire.

  2. فَجَفَت يَداهُ عَنِ النُسو

    عِ وَشَدَّ بِالأَنساعِ صَحبُه

    So his two hands drew away from the straps,

    while his companions made fast with leather straps.

  3. وَثَناهُما عَن رَحلِهِ

    دَمعٌ يَبُلُّ الجَيبَ سَكبُه

    And both hands were held back from his saddle

    by tears whose pouring soaked his breast,

  4. وَنَحيبُ مَطروفِ الفُؤا

    دِ ثَوى مَعَ الأَحبابِ لُبُّه

    and the sobbing of one stricken in the heart,

    whose mind remained with his loved ones.

  5. فَالدَمعُ مُنحَدِرُ النِظا

    مِ إِذا تَرَقرَقَ فاضَ غَربُه

    So the tears streamed in strings;

    when they welled up, their torrent overflowed.

  6. وَعَقارِبُ الحُبِّ الَّذي

    يُخفي مِنَ الوَسواسِ قَلبُه

    And the scorpions of the love that

    his heart keeps hidden in anxious whisperings.

  7. فَإِذا أَرادَ النَومَ أَر

    رَقَهُ وَساوِسُ تَستَهِبُّه

    So when he seeks sleep, he is kept

    awake by whispering thoughts that rouse him,

  8. مِن ذِكرِ مَن تَبَلَ الفُؤا

    دَ فَحَسبُهُ مِن ذاكَ حَسبُه

    at the memory of one who ravaged his heart.

    Enough of that for him—enough!

  9. سَقَطَ النِقابُ فَراقَني

    إِذ راحَ قُرطاهُ وَقُلبُه

    The veil fell, and I was enchanted

    as his two earrings and his bangle swayed.

  10. وَمُؤَشَّرٌ أَلمى اللِثا

    تِ شَهِيُّ طَعمِ الريقِ عَذبُه

    And a mouth with finely notched teeth and dusky gums,

    delicious in flavor, its saliva sweet.

  11. أَحبِب إِلَيَّ بِهِ وَإِن

    كانَ الوِصالُ لِمَن يَرُبُّه

    How dear he is to me, even though

    union belongs to the one who has charge of him:

  12. مِن نازِحٍ حَسَنِ الدَلا

    لِ أَبى لَكَ التَغميضَ حُبُّه

    a far-off beloved, charmingly coy,

    love for him forbade you to close your eyes.

  13. شَحَطَ المَزارُ بِهِ وَلَو

    يَدنو إِلَيكَ شَفاكَ قُربُه

    Far is the place where he may be visited; but if

    he drew near you, his nearness would heal you.

  14. أَنكَرتَ عَيشَكَ بَعدَهُ

    وَالدَهرُ ضاقَ عَلَيكَ رَحبُه

    You found your life strange after him,

    and time’s broad expanse grew narrow for you.

  15. وَكَذاكَ دَهرُكَ لِلمُحِب

    بِ يَروحُ إِذ لَم يَغدُ شَغبُه

    And such is your time as a lover:

    its turmoil comes at evening if not in the morning.

  16. أَحبَبتَهُ وَنَأى بِهِ

    وِدٌّ لآخَرَ يُحِبُّه

    You loved him, but he was drawn away

    by affection for another whom he loves.

  17. وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ أَنَّهُ

    في غَيرِ شِعبِكَ كانَ شِعبُه

    And one of the wonders is that

    his valley was not your valley.

  18. وَغَوِيِّ قَومٍ هَرَّني

    دونَ الَّذي أَحبَبتُ كَلبُه

    And a wayward tribesman—I was snarled at

    by his dog, barring me from the one I loved.

  19. فَصَفَحتُ عَنهُ لَعَلَّهُ

    فيما أُريدُ يَذِلُّ صَعبُه

    So I forgave him, hoping that

    his stubbornness would yield to my desire.

  20. وَأَخو النِساءِ مُوارِبٌ

    يَوماً إِذا لَم يَصفُ شِربُه

    And a man devoted to women uses guile

    on a day when his drink is not clear.

  21. وَسَلِ الَّتي أَحبَبتَها

    إِن كانَ ذاكَ عَراكُ حَربُه

    And ask the woman you loved,

    if that one’s warfare has beset you:

  22. ما تَأمُرينَ بِعاشِقٍ

    عَيَّ الطَبيبُ بِهِ وَطِبُّه

    What do you prescribe for a lover

    who has baffled physician and medicine?

  23. قَد ماتَ أَو هُوَ مَيِّتٌ

    إِن لَم يُعافِ اللَهُ رَبُّه

    He has died, or else he is dying,

    unless God, his Lord, heals him.

  24. غَصَبَت عُبَيدَةُ قَلبَهُ

    أَيَحِلُّ في الإِسلامِ غَصبُه

    ʿUbayda forcibly seized his heart;

    is its seizure lawful in Islam?

  25. صَبٌّ إِلَيها لَو تَني

    مِنها الرِسالَةُ أَو تُغِبُّه

    He pines for her; if there were a delay

    in a message from her, or it came only at intervals,

  26. لَغَدَت عَلَيهِ مَنِيَّةٌ

    وَلَماتَ أَو لاَزدادَ كَربُه

    death would come upon him,

    and he would die, or his anguish would increase.