1. ضمانةٌ يَصدُق وعدُ الضنا

    فيها جناها الطَمَعُ الكاذبُ

    A chronic affliction—wasting sickness keeps its promise

    within it; false hope has brought it on.

  2. عاد بها اليومُ جديدَ الهوى

    وقد تولَّى أمسُها الذاهبُ

    Today has returned with it, its love renewed,

    while its departing yesterday has passed away.

  3. أيّة نارٍ قَدَحتْ في الحشا

    عينُ مَهاةٍ نَندُها ثاقبُ

    What a fire has been kindled in my breast

    by an oryx's eye—its fragrant wood ablaze!

  4. وأيُّ ثغرٍ ولَمىً صادني

    نابلُ قلبي بهما الصائبُ

    And what a mouth and dusky lips! I was snared

    by my heart's unerring archer, using both.

  5. حُبّاً له من بَرَدٍ جامدٍ

    يقطُرُ منه ضَرَبٌ ذائبُ

    How I love it, that frozen hail,

    from which melted honey drips!

  6. اللهَ يا خنساء في مهجةٍ

    أنتِ بها الثائرُ والطالبُ

    For God's sake, Khansa, have mercy on a soul

    for which you are the avenger and claimant.

  7. إن كنتِ حرَّمتِ وصالي فمن

    أين دمِي حِلٌّ لكم واجب

    If you have forbidden union with me, then from

    where comes your lawful, binding claim to my blood?

  8. سلي سهامَ الشوقِ عن أضلعي

    إن صدَقتْ عينُكِ والحاجبُ

    Ask the arrows of longing about my ribs,

    if your eye and eyebrow speak truly:

  9. مَنْ مُوقِدُ النارِ وقد أُخمِدتْ

    على فؤادي ومَن الحاطبُ

    who kindles the fire, though it has been quenched,

    upon my heart—and who gathers the firewood?