أيها الراكب المجن غراماً

أينقاً نحو بارق تترامى

O rider, maddened by love,

on she-camels rushing toward Bariq,

وعوال شوازب كقسي

تركتها يد المغذ سهاما

and tall, lean mounts, like bows,

which the hurrying rider's hand has left as arrows.

وتتحامى إلى السرى وبها من

قبس الوجد لاهب يتحامى

They press toward night travel [uncertain verb], bearing

a blazing brand of yearning, too fierce to approach.

حتى عني الأحياء من آلا ودي

وأقر أن من عرفت مني السلاما

Greet on my behalf the clans of those I love [uncertain reading],

and convey my greetings to those you know [uncertain reading].

وبسلع سل عن فؤاد مضاع

لم يزل في رباعها مستهاما

And at Sal‘, ask about a lost heart

that has ever remained love-maddened in her dwellings.

وإذا ما بدت لعينك نجد

أو تراءت لديك دار أماما

And when Najd appears before your eye,

or a dwelling comes into view ahead of you,

وعهود اتللوى فثم مغانٍ

كن للغيد مرتعاً ومقاما

and memories of al-Liwa [uncertain name]—there lie dwellings

that were a place to roam and stay for graceful beauties.

ويجيرون جائرون أباحوا

من دم المستهام شيئاً حراما

And at Jayrun [uncertain reading], wrongdoers have made lawful

some of the love-maddened one's inviolable blood.

وأضاعوا حق امرء وزعته

لفتات المها عراقاً وشاما

And they neglected the right of a man whom

the oryxes' glances scattered toward Iraq and Sham.

فعلاما هذا التجافي علاما

وإلى ما هذا التنائي إلى ما

So why this estrangement—why?

And how long this separation—how long?

ليس من شرعة الهوى أن أرى في

حلبات الهوان مضني مضاما

It is not love's law that I should be seen

in humiliation's arenas, worn down and wronged.

يا خليلي للهوى عطفات

تورث الصب لوعةً وسقاما

O my two friends, love has turns

that bequeath the ardent lover anguish and sickness.

عللاني بذكر سالف عهد

وأديرا سلافة أو مداما

Soothe me with memories of bygone days,

and pass around choice wine, or aged wine.

ووانشرا خاطري بنشر حديث

طالما ضاع منه نشر الخزامى

And revive my spirit by recounting a tale

from which lavender's fragrance has so often wafted.