1. حَيِّيا أَثلَةَ إِذ جَدَّ رَواح

    وَسَلاها هَل لِعانٍ مِن سَراح

    You two, greet Athla as departure grows urgent,

    And ask her: is there any release for a captive?

  2. هَل لِمَتبولٍ بِها مُستَقبَلٌ

    دَنَفِ القَلبِ عَميدٍ غَيرِ صاح

    Is there a future for one love-stricken by her,

    Sick at heart, sorely stricken, not sober?

  3. كانَ وَالوُدَّ الَّذي يَشكو بِها

    كَمَريقِ الماءِ في الأَرضِ الشَحاح

    He, with the love he laments because of her, was

    Like one pouring water onto hard, barren ground.

  4. أَيُّها السائِلُنا عَن حُبِّها

    تُكثِرُ المَنطِقَ في غَيرِ اِتِّضاح

    O you who ask us about love for her,

    You speak at length without clarity.

  5. خُلِقَت ذِكرَتُها مِن شيمَتي

    ما أَضاءَ الأَرضَ تَبليجُ الصَباح

    Remembering her was made part of my nature,

    As long as dawn's first light illuminates the earth.

  6. ما لَها عِندِيَ مِن هَجرٍ وَلا

    سِرُّها عِندِيَ بِالفاشي المُباح

    I do not forsake her, nor

    Is her secret in my keeping divulged and laid bare.

  7. تَسأَلُ الوُدَّ وَوَدَّت أَنَّني

    بَينَ أَسيافِ الأَعادي وَالرِماح

    She asks for affection, yet has wished that I were

    Amid enemies' swords and spears.

  8. قادَتِ العَينُ إِلَيها قَلبَهُ

    عَقِبَ التَشريقِ مِن يَومِ الأَضاح

    The eye led his heart to her,

    After the festival prayer on the Day of Sacrifice.

  9. نَظرَةٌ بِالعَينِ أَدَّت سَقَماً

    نَظرَةٌ يَوماً وَصَحبي بِالصِفاح

    A glance of the eye brought on sickness,

    A glance one day, while my companions were at al-Sifah.

  10. أَحدَثَت رَدعاً وَرَجعاً بَعدَما

    طَمِعَ العائِدُ مِنّا بِالسَراح

    It caused a setback and a relapse, after

    The sickbed visitor among us had hoped for release.

  11. وَشَكَوتُ الحُبَّ مِنها صادِقاً

    لَيلَةَ المَأزِمِ في قَولٍ صُراح

    And I truthfully complained of my love for her,

    On the night at al-Ma'zim, in frank words,

  12. واقِفَ البِرذَونِ أُخفي مَنطِقي

    مُظهِراً عُذرِيَ في غَيرِ نَجاح

    With my riding horse halted, I concealed my speech,

    Making my excuse known, but without success.

  13. لَن تَقودينِيَ بِالهَجرِ وَلَن

    تُدرِكي وُدّي بِجَدٍّ وَاِطِّراح

    You will not lead me by forsaking me, nor

    Win my love by cutting me off and casting me aside.