1. Oh virtuous Daffad! Are you to inform me,
Of a plight whose knot even the eloquent cannot untie?
١. أَلا يا عَفيفَ الدينِ هَل أَنتَ مُخبِري
بِمُشكِلَةٍ لا يَغمِزُ العَجمُ عودَها
2. Of a burden, whose daughters when they pass it on,
Borrow breasts from the beautiful to feed it.
٢. بِمثقلةٍ حَملاً إِذا ما بَناتُها
مَرَتها أَعارَتها الغَواني نُهودَها
3. As if the agony of estrangement made it shed tears,
Overflowing, igniting its embers within.
٣. كَأَنَّ أَليمَ الهَجرِ أَجرى دُموعَها
فَفاضَت وَأَذكى في حَشاها وَقودَها
4. It competes with the heaviness of oil presses in its abundance.
Leaving no trace for the clouds except its rumblings.
٤. تُباري ثِقالَ المُعصِراتِ بِدَرّها
فَما تَرَكَت لِلسّحبِ إِلّا رُعودَها