1. لَكَ الخيرُ قَد زارَ الخَيالُ المُطالِعُ

    يَخُبُّ بِهِ رَكبُ الكَرَى وَهو ضائِعُ

    May good be yours! The visiting apparition has come;

    the caravan of slumber bears it at a trot, while it is lost.

  2. سَرى من حُزونِ الغورِ من غَير مَوعدٍ

    على غرَّةِ والطَّيفُ بالوصلِ خادعث

    It traveled by night from the rugged tracts of al-Ghawr, without an appointment,

    unawares—and the phantom deceives with reunion.

  3. فيا لك من طيفٍ خَبت بِمزارهِ

    لَواعِجُ شوقٍ في الحَشَى وَنَوازعُ

    Oh, what an apparition! Its visit stilled

    the burning pangs of longing within the breast, and restless yearnings.

  4. أتى طارِقاً جُنحَ الظَّلامِ فبادَرَت

    إِليهِ الُمنَى واستَقبلَتهُ الَمدامِعُ

    It came as a night visitor under cover of darkness; then hastened

    toward it hopes, and tearful eyes welcomed it.

  5. وما عادَ إِلاَّ والنُّجومُ مِنَ السُّرى

    أُفولٌ وَوَجهُ الصبُّحِ في الأفقِ طالِعُ

    And it did not turn back until the stars, after their night journey,

    were setting, and dawn's face was rising on the horizon.

  6. لَقَد عادَني مَرآهُ وَهناً وعادَني

    بُرَيقٌ على سَفحِ الأُبيرقِ لامِعُ

    Indeed, its image visited me late at night, and so did

    a little flash of lightning gleaming on the slope of al-Ubayriq.

  7. أَيا جِيرتِي بالرَّملِ رَملِ مُحَجَّرِ

    أَهَل عَيشنُا بالأَجرَعِ الفَردِ راجعُ

    O my neighbors in the sands—the sands of Muhajjar—

    will our life at lone al-Ajraʿ return?

  8. لَقَد طارَ قَلبي يومَ بِنتُم عنِ الحِمَى

    فَيا عَجَباً من طائرٍ وهو واقعُ

    Indeed, my heart took flight the day you left the protected pasture;

    so how strange—a flying creature, yet grounded!

  9. لَعلَّ الذي أَبلَى بِتفريقِ شَملِنا

    بِكُم بَعدَ هذا البُعدِ والبَينِ جامعُ

    Perhaps the one who afflicted us by sundering our union

    will reunite us with you after this distance and separation.