1. طَيلَسانٌ لَو كانَ لَفظاً إِذا ما

    شَكَّ خَلقٌ في أَنَّهُ بُهتانُ

    A shawl—if it were a statement, then no

    one would doubt that it was a falsehood.

  2. فَهوَ كَالطورِ إِذ تَجَلّى لَهُ الل

    لَهُ فَهُدَّت قُواهُ وَالأَركانُ

    For it is like Mount al-Tur when God revealed Himself to it,

    and so its strength and pillars were shattered.

  3. يا اِبنَ حَربٍ فَكَيفَ يَبقى عَلى البَذ

    لَةِ ثَوبٌ يَذوبُ وَهوَ يُصانُ

    O Ibn Harb, how then can it withstand daily wear—

    a garment that melts away even while kept safe?

  4. يا اِبنَ حَربٍ لَقَد رَفَوناهُ حَتّى

    بَقِيَ الرَفوُ وَاِنقَضى الطَليّسانُ

    O Ibn Harb, we have indeed darned it until

    the darning remained, and the shawl was no more.