رَأَيتُ أَبا عيسى وَقَد ذُكِرَ القِرى

رَأَيتُ أَبا عيسى وَقَد ذُكِرَ القِرى

فَأَسبَلَ عَينَيهِ وَشابَت ذَوائِبُه

فَأَسبَلَ عَينَيهِ وَشابَت ذَوائِبُه

I saw Abu Isa when hospitality was mentioned;

I saw Abu Easa as the villages were mentioned

So he lowered his eyes, and his locks turned gray.

He let flow his tears and his locks turned white

رَأى الصَيفَ مَكتوباً فَظَنَّ بِأَنَّهُ

رَأى الصَيفَ مَكتوباً فَظَنَّ بِأَنَّهُ

لِتَصحيفِه ضَيفٌ فَقامَ يُواثِبُه

لِتَصحيفِه ضَيفٌ فَقامَ يُواثِبُه

He saw “summer” written and thought it was,

He saw summer written and thought it was

Through his misreading, a “guest”—so he rose to pounce on him.

A guest in disguise so he rose to greet him