فَتَرَت صَهوَتي وَأَقصَرَ شَجوي

وَأَتاني السُرورُ مِن كُلِّ نَحوِ

My vigor subsided and my plaint shortened

And happiness came to me from all quarters

إِنَّ روحَ الشِتاءِ خَلَّصَ روحي

مِن حَرورٍ تَشوي الوُجوهَ وَتَكوي

Verily, the spirit of winter freed my soul

From scorching heat that burns faces and brands

بَرُدَ الماءُ وَالهَوا وَكَأَن قَد

سُرِقَ البَدرُ مِن جَوانِحِ خِلوِ

The water and air grew cold as though

The moon was stolen from the bosom of night

ريحُهُ تَلمُسُ الصُدورَ فَتَشفي

وَغَماماتُهُ تَصوبُ فَتَروي

Its breeze touches breasts and heals

And its clouds pour forth to water

لَستُ أَنسى مِنهُ دَماثَةَ دَجنٍ

ثُمَّ مِن بَعدِهِ نَضارَةَ صَحوِ

I shall not forget its languor at nightfall

Then after it the freshness of waking

وَجُنوباً يُبَشِّرُ الأَرضَ بِالقَطرِ

كَما بَشَّرَ العَليلُ بِبُروِ

And southerly winds heralding rain for the land

As the convalescent heralds relief

وَغُيوماً مُطَرَّزاتِ الحَواشي

بِوَميضٍ مِنَ البُروقِ وَخَفوِ

And clouds fringed with flashes

Of lightning and muted rumbling

كُلَّما أَرَختِ السَماءُ عُراها

جَمَعَ القَطرُ بَينَ سَفلٍ وَعُلوِ

Whenever the sky lets down her tresses

The rain combines lowland and height

وَهيَ تُعطيكَ حينَ هَبَّت شَمالاً

بَردَ ماءٍ فيها وَرِقَّةَ جَوِّ

As she gives when blowing north

The coolness of water and wisp of wind

وَتَرى الأَرضَ في مِلاءَةِ ثَلجٍ

مِثلَ رَيطٍ لَبِسَتهُ فَوقَ فَروِ

And you see the earth dressed in snow

Like a carpet she wore over her gown

فَاِستَعارَ العَرارُ مِنها لِباساً

سَوفَ يُمنى مِنَ الرِياحِ بِنِضوِ

So the bare ground borrowed from it a garment

It will be graced by the winds with softness

فَكَأَنَّ الكافورَ مَوضِعُ تُربِ

وَكَأَنَّ الجِمانَ مَوضِعَ قَروِ

As if camphor took the place of dust

And musk the place of gravel

وَلَيالٍ أَطَلنَ مُدَّةَ دَرسي

مِثلَما قَد مَدَدنَ في عُمرِ لَهوي

And nights whose span of my study lengthened

As they once extended in my carefree life

مَرَّ لي بَعضُها بِفِقهٍ وَبَعضٌ

بَينَ شِعرٍ أَخَذتُ فيهِ وَنَحوِ

Some passed with wisdom and some

Midst poetry I engaged in and prose

وَحَديثٍ كَأَنَّهُ عِقدُ رَيّا

بِتُّ أَرويهِ لِلرِجالِ وَتَروي

And converse like a string of pearls

I recount to men who appreciate and enjoy

في حَديثِ الرِجالِ رَوضَةُ أُنسٍ

باتَ يَرعى بِأَهلِ نُبلٍ وَسَروِ

In the talk of men lies a meadow of conviviality

Where it grazes amidst people of nobility and loftiness