تِلكَ عِرسِي تَلُومُني في التَصابي

مَلَّ سَمعي وَما تَمَلُّ عِتابي

That is my betrothed blaming me during discord

My hearing is weary and her blame does not cease

أَهجَرَت في المَلامِ تَزعمُ أَنّي

لاحَ شَيبي وَقَد تَوَلّى شَبابي

She became estranged with blame, claiming that

My gray hair appeared though my youth has passed

أَن رَأَت رَوعَةً مِنَ الشَيبِ صارَت

في قذالي مُبِينَةً كِالشِهابِ

When she saw some gray strands, she openly

Rebuked me in my graying hair like a shooting star

تَحتَ لَيلٍ بِكَفٍّ قابِسِ نارٍ

إِعتَشاها بِعارِضٍ مِن سَحابِ

Under a night with a blazing clenched hand

I sought refuge in a cloud's edge for shelter

قُلتُ مَهلاً فَقَد عَلِمتِ إِبائِي

مِنكِ هَذا وَقَد عَلِمت جَوابي

I said wait, you know my refusal of you

And you know my answer, and my graying is no deterrent

لَيسَ ناهِيَّ عَن طِلابِ الغَواني

وَخطُ شَيبٍ بَدا وَدِرسُ خِضابِ

From seeking passions, though gray strands appeared and kohl faded away

And riding when the coward curled up

وَرُكُوبٌ إِذا الجَبانُ تَطَوّى

فَرَقاً عِندَ عِرسِهِ في الثِيابِ

Apart from his betrothed in clothes

I carry the sword above the pink rosebud

أَحمِلُ السَيفَ فَوقَ أَقرَح وَردٍ

ذي حُجُولٍ كَأَنَّهُ سِيدُ غابِ

As if it is the master of the forest

I face horror in battles, my feet

أَجشَمُ الهَولَ في الكَعابِ وَقِدماً

جَشِمَ الهَولَ ذُو الهَوى في الكَعابِ

Faced horror, the passionate one in fights

O palace of porches and gardens

أَيُّها القَصرُ ذُو الأَواسِيِّ وَالبُس

تانِ بَينَ القُصُورِ فَوقَ الظِرابِ

Among palaces atop the hills

God distinguished you with construction

خَصَّكَ اللَهُ بِالعِمارَةِ مِنهُ

وَوَقاكَ المَليكُ وَشكَ الخَرابِ

And the King protected you from destruction

I and the stirrers with a group

إِنَّني وَالمُجَمِّرِينَ بِجَمعٍ

وَالمُنيخِينَ خَلفَهُم بِالحِصابِ

And the movers behind them with barriers

I will not abandon you as long as I live in my love

لَم أَحُل عَنكَ ما حَيِيتُ بِوُدّي

أَبَداً أَو يَحُولَ لَونُ الغُرابِ

Or the color of the raven changes

The caring guardian protects it

دَونَها الحارِسُ الشَفِيقُ عَلَيها

قَد تَولّى مَفاتِحَ الأَبوابِ

Having taken over the keys to the doors

With battlements like the pillar of a mountain

بِمُنيفٍ كَأَنَّهُ رُكنُ طَودٍ

ذي أَواسٍ مُطَمَّرِ المِحرابِ

With niches and the prayer nook immersed

And I climbed up to it with ropes

وَتَرَقَّيتُ بِالحِبالِ إِلَيها

بَعدَ هَدءٍ وَغَفلَةِ البَوّابِ

After the guards were done and inattentive

She rewarded me for what I did with fine reward

فَجَزَتني بِما عَمِلتُ ثَواباً

حَسَناً كُنتُ أَهلَ ذاكَ الثَوابِ

I was deserving of that reward

With an embrace despite fearing the eyes

إِعتِناقاً عَلى مَخافَةِ عَينٍ

قَد رُمِقنا بِها وَقَومٍ غِضابِ

That glanced at us and angry people