1. أَمسَت كُراعُ الغَميمِ موحِشَةً

    بَعدَ الَّذي قَد خَلا مِنَ الحِقَبِ

    Evening has found Kurāʿ al-Ghamīm desolate,

    After the ages that have already passed.

  2. إِن تُمسِ وَحشاً فَقَد شَهِدتُ بِها

    حوراً حِساناً في مَوكِبٍ عَجَبِ

    If it lies deserted, I have seen there

    Dark-eyed beauties in a wondrous procession,

  3. مِن عَبدِ شَمسٍ وَهاشِمٍ وَبَني

    زُهرَةَ أَهلِ الصِفاتِ وَالحَسَبِ

    From ʿAbd Shams and Hāshim, and the sons of

    Zuhrah, people of fine qualities and ancestral honor.

  4. يَرفُلنَ في الرَيطِ وَالمُروطِ مِ

    نَ الخَزِّ يُسحِبنَها عَلى الكُثُبِ

    They sweep along in fine wraps and mantles of

    Silk-and-wool cloth, trailing them across the dunes.

  5. يا طُلَ لَيلى وَآبَ لي طَرَبي

    لَمّا تَذَكَّرتُ مَنزِلَ الخَرِبِ

    Oh, how long my night! And my yearning returned to me

    When I remembered the dwelling at al-Kharib,

  6. مَنزِلَ مَن راحَ مِنهُ مُعتَمِراً

    لَيلَةَ سِتٍّ خَلَونَ مِن رَجَبِ

    The dwelling of one who left it to perform the lesser pilgrimage,

    On a night when six nights of Rajab had passed.

  7. فَهيَ لَنا خُلَّةٌ نُواصِلُها

    مِن غَيرِ ما مَحرَمٍ وَلا رِيَبِ

    For she is our beloved, with whom we keep company,

    With nothing forbidden and no cause for suspicion.

  8. مِثلُ غَزالٍ يَهُزُّ مِشيَتَهُ

    أَحوى عَلَيهِ قَلائِدُ الذَهَبِ

    Like a gazelle that sways as it walks,

    Dark-hued, with necklaces of gold upon it.