1. شجتْك رسومٌ دارسات بثَهمَدِ

    كَمُلْحِمة ابن السِّمَّريِّ مُحمَّدِ

    Faded traces at Thahmad have saddened you,

    Like the silk-blend robe of Muhammad ibn al-Simmari.

  2. تُنادي رسومٌ كلَّ يوم محمداً

    أيا لابسي قد طال عهدي فجدِّدِ

    The tatters call to Muhammad each day:

    “O wearer of mine, my time has grown long—renew me!

  3. بَليتُ وأبليتُ الرجال وأصبحت

    سنونٌ طوال قد أتتْ دون موْلدي

    I have worn out and worn men out, and now

    Long years have passed since my birth.”

  4. وضجَّت إلى الرحمن من نتن جِرْمه

    ومن ذَفَرٍ في باطن الرفْغ واليدِ

    And it cried to the All-Merciful at his body's stench,

    And at the rank odor in his groin and the palm of his hand.

  5. وقالت له أيضاً مراراً كثيرة

    أما حان إطلاق الأسير المقيَّدِ

    And it also said to him many times:

    “Is it not time to release the fettered captive?”

  6. فقال لها مهلاً رسومُ فما أنا

    بمُعفيك منِّي أو أحُلَّ بمُلْحَدي

    So he said to it, “Patience, tatters! I shall not

    Release you from me until I lie in my grave.”

  7. فقالت له هل أنت أيضاً مكفَّنٌ

    إذ متَّ بي يا ابن البخيل المصرّدِ

    So it said to him, “Will you also be shrouded

    In me when you die, O son of the tightfisted miser?”

  8. فقال نعم ما إن تزالي قرينتي

    إلى يوم بعث من ضريح وجلمدِ

    So he said, “Yes; you will never cease to be my companion

    Until the day of resurrection from tomb and stone.”