1. حَدِّث حَديثَ فَتاةِ حَيٍّ مَرَّةً

    بِالجِزعِ بَينَ أَذاخِرٍ وَحَراءِ

    Recount once the tale of a maiden of the tribe,

    at the valley bend between Adhakhir and Hara.

  2. قالَت لِجارَتِها عِشاءً إِذ رَأَت

    نُزَهَ المَكانِ وَغَيبَةَ الأَعداءِ

    She said to her neighbor at nightfall, when she saw

    the place's pleasant retreats and the absence of foes,

  3. في رَوضَةٍ يَمَّمنَها مَولِيَّةٍ

    مَيثاءَ رابِيَةٍ بُعَيدَ سَماءِ

    in a meadow they had sought, watered by later rains,

    soft-soiled and rising, shortly after rain,

  4. في ظِلِّ دانِيَةِ الغُصونِ وَريقَةٍ

    نَبَتَت بِأَبطَحَ طَيِّبِ الثَرياءِ

    in the shade of a leafy tree with low-hanging branches

    that had grown in a broad streambed of rich, moist earth.

  5. وَكَأَنَّ ريقَتَها صَبيرُ غَمامَةً

    بَرَدَت عَلى صَحوٍ بُعَيدَ ضَحاءِ

    And her saliva seemed a dense bank of cloud

    that shed hail in clear weather, just after forenoon.

  6. لَيتَ المُغيرِيَّ العَشيَّةَ أَسعَفَت

    دارٌ بِهِ لِتَقارُبِ الأَهواءِ

    “If only this evening al-Mughiri could be brought near

    by a dwelling, for our desires are so alike,

  7. إِذ غابَ عَنّا مَن نَخافُ وَطاوَعَت

    أَرضٌ لَنا بِلَذاذَةٍ وَخَلاءِ

    now that those we fear are away from us, and we are favored

    with a place of pleasure and seclusion.”

  8. قُلتُ اِركَبوا نَزُرِ الَّتي زَعَمَت لَنا

    أَن لا نُباليها كَبيرَ بَلاءِ

    I said, “Mount up; let us visit the one who claimed to us

    that we show her no great concern.”

  9. بَينا كَذَلِكَ إِذ عَجاجَةُ مَوكِبٍ

    رَفَعوا ذَميلَ العيسِ بِالصَحراءِ

    While things were thus, behold, a cavalcade's dust cloud—

    they had quickened the pale camels' trot across the desert.

  10. قالَت لِجارَتِها اِنظُري ها مَن أُلى

    وَتَأَمَّلي مَن راكِبُ الأَدماءِ

    She said to her neighbor, “Look—who are those?

    And look closely: who rides the white she-camel?”

  11. قالَت أَبو الخَطابِ أَعرِفُ زِيَّهُ

    وَلِباسَهُ لا شَكَّ غَيرَ خَفاءُ

    She said, “Abu al-Khattab; I recognize his appearance

    and his clothing—without doubt or uncertainty.”

  12. قالَت وَهَل قالَت نَعَم فَاِستَبشِري

    مِمَّن يُحَبُّ لَقِيُّهُ بِلِقاءِ

    She said, “Is it he?” She replied, “Yes—so rejoice

    at meeting someone whom it is a joy to meet.”

  13. قالَت لَقَد جاءَت إِذاً أُمنِيَّتي

    في غَيرِ تَكلِفَةٍ وَغَيرِ عَناءِ

    She said, “Then my wish has indeed come true,

    without effort and without hardship.

  14. ما كُنتُ أَرجو أَن يُلِمَّ بِأَرضِنا

    إِلّا تَمَنِّيَهُ كَبيرَ رَجاءِ

    I had not expected him to visit our land,

    but only wished for him with great hope.

  15. فَإِذا المُنى قَد قَرَّبَت بِلِقائِهِ

    وَأَجابَ في سِرٍّ لَنا وَخَلاءِ

    And now my wishes are within reach through meeting him,

    and he has responded to us in secrecy and seclusion.”

  16. لَمّا تَواقَفنا وَحَيَّيناهُما

    رَدَّت تَحِيَّتَنا عَلى اِستِحياءِ

    When we stood facing each other and greeted them both,

    she returned our greeting shyly.

  17. قُلنَ اِنزِلوا فَتَيَمَّموا لِمَطِيِّكُم

    غَيباً تُغَيِّبُهُ إِلى الإِمساءِ

    They said, “Dismount, and seek for your mounts

    a hidden place where you can conceal them until evening.

  18. إِن تَنظُروا اليَومَ الثَواءَ بِأَرضِنا

    فَغَدٌ لَكُم رَهنٌ بِحُسنِ ثَواءِ

    If you consider staying in our land today,

    then tomorrow is pledged to you for a pleasant stay.”

  19. عُجنا مَطايا قَد عَيَينَ وَعُوِّدَت

    أَلّا يَرُمنَ تَرَغُّماً بِرُغاءِ

    We turned our mounts aside, already weary and trained

    not to seek to voice displeasure by bellowing.

  20. حَتّى إِذا أُمِنَ الرَقيبُ وَنُوِّمَت

    عَنّا عُيونُ سَواهِرِ الأَعداءِ

    At last, when we were safe from the watcher, and sleep had closed

    the eyes of our wakeful foes, leaving us unwatched,

  21. خَرَجَت تَأَطَّرُ في ثَلاثٍ كَالدُمى

    تَمشي كَمَشيِ الظَبيَةِ الأَدماءِ

    she came out swaying, among three women like figurines,

    walking with the gait of a pale gazelle.

  22. جاءَ البَشيرُ بِأَنَّها قَد أَقبَلَت

    ريحٌ لَها أَرجٌ بِكُلِّ فَضاءِ

    The herald came with news that she was approaching:

    a breeze whose fragrance spread through every open space.

  23. قالَت لِرَبّي الشُكرُ هَذي لَيلَةً

    نَذراً أُؤَدّيهِ لَهُ بِوَفاءِ

    She said, “Thanks to my Lord on this night—

    a vow I faithfully fulfill to Him.”