خَلِيلَيَّ عُوجا نُحَيِّ نِباعا

وَخَيماً بِهِ وَنُحَيِّ الرِباعا

My beloved, make your house crooked and we will make it straight

And pitch a tent by it and we will make it square

تَبَدَّلَتِ الأُدمَ مِن أَهلِها

وَعَينَ المَها وَنَعاماً رِتاعا

The settled folk have been made strangers by it

With the eye of the ostrich and the steps of an ostrich fleet

يُسَوِّقُها بِالرِياضِ الظَليمُ

سِياقَ المُعاقِبِ رَكباً سِراعا

He drives them out into the shaded gardens

The pace of the avenger, a riding company swift

فَلا ما وَقالا جِداءٌ قَليلٌ

سُؤالُكَ رَبعاً مُحِيلاً وَقاعا

So neither said a few words of condolence

Your question a difficult unanswerable territory

رَأَيتَ المُحبِّينَ قَد أَقصَرُوا

وَتَأبى لِحينِكَ إِلّا اِتِّباعا

I saw lovers who shortened their stay

And your time refuses all but to follow

لِلَيلى فُؤادَكَ في خَلوَةٍ

وَفي مَجلِسٍ أَو سَمِعتَ السَماعا

For Leyla your heart in solitude

Or in a sitting or if you heard a tale

تَحِنُّ إِذا ذُكِرَت مَرَّةً

حَنينَ الطَرِيفِ أَرادَ النِزاعا

You yearn whenever she is mentioned

With the yearning of the gentle-natured who sought contention

فَقُلتُ بَلى عَرِّجا ساعَةً

وَغُضّا المَلامَ فَعاجا وَطاعا

So I said yes, go indirectly for an hour

And restrain blame so be gentle and obedient

لِذي شَجَنٍ يَعتَريهِ المِرا

رَ شَوقٌ يُعالِجُ مِنهُ رُداعا

For one with sorrow that afflicts him

A passion that treats him with pretended remedy

فَظَلتُ أُبَكّي وَقَد أَسعَدا

عَلى ذاكَ فيهِ بِهِ ما اِستَطاعا

So I remained weeping while they were happy

For that, through it, with it, what they were capable of

بِأَجرَعَ جَعدِ الثَرى مُكتَسٍ

مِنَ البَقلِ حَوذانَهُ وَالدُعاعا

With tufts of matted hair on dusty soil

From herbs, its pods and worms

وَمَجلِسِ خَمسٍ بِهِ مَوهِناً

تَواعَدنهُ إِذ أَرَدنَ اِجتِماعا

And a sitting of five in which we confided

When they wanted to meet they sent a silent messenger

بَعَثنَ رَسُولاً كَتُوماً لِما

أَرَدنَ إِذا ما الرَسُولُ أَذاعا

To me that come to us but beware

And guard yourself from our people and their abuse

إِلَيَّ بِأَن إِيتِنا وَاحذَرَن

وَقاكَ الرَدى أَهلَنا وَالشِناعا

Enemies to us through time unwavering

If they sensed, with a glance or listening, injury

عِداةً لَنا الدَهرَ لا يَغفَلُونَ

أذا وَجَسُوا نَظَراً وَاِستِماعا

So I walked with the gait of a wounded beast

Saw me in childbirth so she took flight far

فَأَقبَلتُ أَمشي كَمَشي الفَنيقِ

رَأَتهُ المَخاضُ فَطارَت شَعاعا

Upon me a cloak I wrapped myself

In my custom, fearing it would be broadcast

عَلَيَّ كِساءٌ تَقَنَّعتُهُ

عَلى سُنَّتي خَشيَةً أَن يُذاعا

By my walk that I am a complainer, whiner

So when I reached I removed the mask

بِمَمشايَ أَن كاشِحٌ رانئٌ

فَلَمّا بَلَغتُ كَشَفتُ القِناعا

Tresses like the trailing branches in which eyes delight

Feed at night, their teeth gleam as they smile

عَقائِلُ كَالمُزنِ فيها البُرُو

قُ يُعشى العُيُونَ سَناها التِماعا

When they traveled or went into hiding

I saw from their glow rays rise

إِذا ما سَفَرنَ وَإِمّا اِختَبَي

نَ أَبصَرتُ مِن ضَوئِهِنَّ الشَعاعا

As through the clouds the sun of day appears to rise

كَما تَتَراءى خِلالَ السَحا

بِ شَمسُ النَهارِ تَرُومُ اطِّلاعا