1. عُلِّقَ القَلبُ وَزوعا

    حُبَّ مَن لَن يَستَطيعا

    The heart, yearning, was bound

    in love with one it could never attain.

  2. عُلِّقَ الشَمسَ فَأَضحَت

    أَوجَهَ الناسِ جَميعا

    It was bound to the sun, and she became

    the fairest of all people.

  3. وَدَعاهُ الحَينُ فَاِنقا

    دَ إِلى الحَينِ سَريعا

    And doom called it, so it gave

    way swiftly to doom.

  4. ثُمَّ أَبصَرتُ الَّتي زا

    دَت عَلى الشَمسِ بُروعا

    Then I saw her who surpassed

    the sun in beauty.

  5. وَتَرى النِسوانَ إِن قا

    مَت وَإِن قُمنَ خُشوعا

    And you see the women, whether she rises

    or they rise, bowed in awe,

  6. كَخُضوعِ النَجمِ لِلشَم

    سِ إِذا رامَت طُلوعا

    like stars bowing before the sun

    when she seeks to rise.

  7. وَلَقَد قُلتُ عَلى فَو

    تٍ وَكَفكَفتُ الدُموعا

    Indeed I spoke when she was out of reach,

    and wiped away my tears,

  8. جَزَعاً لَيلَةَ مَرَّت

    بي وَما كُنتُ جَزوعا

    in anguish, the night she passed

    by me—though I was not prone to anguish.

  9. أَسفَرَت لَيلَةَ وَدّا

    نَ حِذاراً أَن تَروعا

    She unveiled her face on the night at Waddan,

    for fear that she might frighten

  10. قَلبَ مَحزونٍ بِها ما

    زالَ مُختَلّاً وَجيعا

    the heart of one grieving for her, which had

    never ceased to be distraught and aching.

  11. فَأَرَتهُ وارِدَ النَب

    تِ وَمُنتَصّاً تَليعا

    So she showed him her flowing hair

    and her long, upraised neck,

  12. وَثَنايا يَكرَعُ المَل

    هوفُ فيهِنَّ كُروعا

    and front teeth where the anguished one

    drinks deep,

  13. يَومَ حَلَّت مِن سَوادِ ال

    قَلبِ مُحتَلّاً رَفيعا

    on the day she settled in the depths of the

    heart, in a lofty dwelling.

  14. هَل رَأَيتَ الرَكبَ أَو أَب

    صَرتَ بِالقاعِ هُجوعا

    Have you seen the caravan, or

    spied sleepers on the plain?

  15. قالَ لَم أَعرِف وَقَد أَب

    صَرتُ عيساً وَقُطوعا

    He said: I did not recognize them, though

    I saw pale camels and saddle-rugs.

  16. قُلتُ إِذهَب فَاِعتَرِفهُم

    ثُمَّ أَدرِكنا جَميعا

    I said: Go and find out who they are,

    then catch up with us all.

  17. قِف عَلى الرَكبِ فَسَلِّم

    ثُمَّ أَدرِكنا سَريعا

    Stop by the caravan and greet them,

    then catch up with us quickly.

  18. فَلَقَد كُنتُ قَديماً

    لِهَوى النَفسِ تَبوعا

    For I have long been

    a devoted follower of my soul's desire.