سَيُسكِتُني يَأسي وَفي الصَدرِ حاجَةٌ

كَما أَنطَقَتني وَالرِجالَ المَطامِعُ

My despair will silence me, though my heart still yearns

As ambitions moved men to speak to me

بِضائِعُ قَولٍ عِندَ غَيرِيَ رِبحُها

وَعِندِيَ خُسراناتُها وَالوَضائِعُ

Words lost on others are profitable to them

While to me they are losses and things wasted

غَرائِبُ لَو هُدَّت عَلى الطَودِ ذي الصَفا

أَصاخَ إِلَيها يَذبُلٌ وَالقَعاقِعُ

Wondrous things, if given to the smooth mountain of Safa

The young camels flock to it, and the locusts

تُضاعُ كَما ضاعَت خَلاةٌ بِقَفرَةٍ

زَفَتها النُعامى وَالرِياحُ الزَعازِعُ

Wasted like a barren valley assailed by ostriches

And the tearing winds

كَأَنَّ لِساني نِسعَةٌ حَضرَمِيَةٌ

طَواها وَلَم تَبلُغ لَها السومَ بائِعُ

As if my tongue is a superb sword of Hidjaz

Sheathed before sellers could value it

لَقَد كانَ لي عَن باحَةِ الذُلَّ مَذهَبٌ

وَمُضطَرَبٌ عَن جانِبِ الضَيمِ واسِعُ

Indeed I had an escape from the valley of disgrace

And freedom from oppression and tyranny

وَما مُدَّ ما بَيني وَبَينَ مَذاهِبي

حِجازٌ وَلا سُدَّت عَلَيَّ المَطالِعُ

Neither mountains nor closed horizons stood

Between my escape route and its pursuits

أَكُنُّ ثَنائي وَاِبنُ فَعلاءَ مُعرِضٌ

لَئِن أَنتَ لَم تَسمَع فَعِرضُكَ سامِعُ

Do I blazon myself while the noble sons ignore me?

If you do not listen, then your honor does

وَلَو ما جَزَيتُ القَرضَ بِالعِرضِ لَم يَضِع

فَإِنَّ النَدى عِندَ الكِرامِ وَدائِعُ

And had I not reciprocated favors for honors

Virtues would not be kept with the generous

سَيُدرى مَنِ المَغبونُ مِنّا وَمِنكُمُ

إِذا اِفتَرَقَت عَمّا تَقولُ المَجامِعُ

It will be known who is wronged, I or you

When opinions differ from what assemblies declare

وَهَل تَدَّعي حِفظَ المَكارِمِ عِصبَةٌ

لِئامٌ وَمِثلي بَينَها اليَومَ ضائِعُ

Does a vile horde claim preserving virtues?

While the likes of me among them go to waste

نَعَم لَستُمُ الأَيدي الطِوالَ فَعاوِنوا

عَلى قَدرِكُم قَد تُستَعانُ الأَصابِعُ

True, you are not tall in reach, so help

As you can, the fingers can support

إِذا لَم يَكُن وَصلي إِلَيكُم ذَريعَةً

فَيا لَيتَ شِعري ما تَكونُ الذَرائِعُ

If my access to you is not facile

I wonder what can make access possible

أَرى بارِقاً لَم يُروِني وَهوَ حاضِرٌ

فَكَيفَ أُرَجّي رَيَّهُ وَهوَ شاسِعُ

I see lightning that did not show me while here

How can I wish its flashes if it is glaring?

وَأَخلَفَ شَيمي كُلُّ بَرقٍ أَشيمُهُ

فَلا النَوءُ مَرجوٌّ وَلا الغَيثُ واقِعُ

Each lightning I omened has failed my augury

So neither rain is expected nor downpour hoped for

سَأَذهَبُ عَنكُم غَيرَ باكٍ عَلَيكُمُ

وَما لِيَ عُذرٌ أَن تَفيضَ المَدامِعُ

I will leave you tearless over leaving you

What excuse is there for my tears to pour?

وَأَهجُرُكُم هَجرَ المُفيقِ مِنَ الهَوى

خَلا القَلبُ مِنهُ وَاِطمَأَنَّ المَضاجِعُ

I will abandon you like one sober from desire

With no turmoil within and rested bones

وَأَعتَدُّ فَجّاً أَنتُمُ مِن حِلالِهِ

ثَنِيَّةَ خَوفٍ ما لَها اليَومَ طالِعُ

And I think it dire, you who allow it

Apprehension without foresight or escape

وَما مَوقِفي وَالرَكبُ يَرجو عَلى الصَدى

مَوارِدَ قَد نَشَّت بِهِنَّ الوَقائِعُ

My stand is not with the caravan hoping for

Pastures time has caused to grow and spawn

أُفارِقُكُم لا النَفسُ وَلهى عَليكُمُ

وَلا اللُبُّ مَخلوسٌ وَلا القَلبُ جازِعُ

I leave you - my soul still turned to you

Nor is my heart withdrawn or pulse shaken

وَلا عاطِفاً جيدي إِلَيكُم بِلَفنَةٍ

مِنَ الشَوقِ ما سارَ النُجومُ الطَوالِعُ

No emotions move me to charm you

With such longing as moves the celestial stars

وَلا ذاكِراً ما كانَ بَيني وَبَينَكُم

مُراجَعَةً إِنَّ المُحِبَّ المُراجِعُ

No mention of what was between us

For lovers do not reminisce

نَبَدتُكُمُ نَبذَ المُخَفِّفِ ثِقلَهُ

وَإِنّي لَحَبلِ مِنَّةِ الغَدرِ قاطِعُ

I cast you hastily off as weight discarded

Though I break faith's cord in two