يا لَيتَ لَيلى رَأَتنا غَيرَ جازِعَةٍ

لَمّا هَبَطنا جَمِيعاً أَبطَحَ السُوقِ

O that Layla had seen us undaunted

When we descended all together in the marketplace

وَكَشَرنا وَكُبُولُ القَينِ تَنكِبُنا

كَالأُسدِ تَكشِرُ عَن أَنيابِها الرُوقِ

Baring our teeth, lips curled back

Like lions baring their fangs from their burrows

نَمشي يَفُوتُ مُخِفُّ القَومِ مَثقَلَهُم

مَشى الجِمالِ المَصاعِيبِ المَطارِيقِ

We strode, the quick of the people passing their laden ones

With the gait of strong-boned, slender-bodied camels

وَالناسُ شَطرانِ مِن ذي بُغضَةٍ حَنِقٍ

وَمِن مَغيظٍ بِدَمعِ العَينِ مَخنُوقِ

And the people in two groups, some full of rancorous hate

And some choking on tears of rage in their eyes

هُوَّوا لَنا زُمَراً مِن كُلِّ ناحِيَةٍ

كَأَنَّما فَزَعُوا مِن نَفخَةِ البُوقِ

They let out cries against us from every side

As though roused by the blast of a trumpet

وَفي السُطُوحِ كَأَمثالِ الدُمى خُرُدٌ

يَبكِينَ عَولَةَ وَجدٍ غَيرِ مَمذُوقِ

And on the rooftops were effigies like corpses

Weeping the wailing of passion not yet tasted

مِن كُلِّ ناشِرَةٍ فَرعاً لِرُؤيَتِنا

وَمَفرَقاً ذا نَباتٍ غَيرِ مَفرُوقِ

From every broadcaster a branch to see us

And scattered greenery not yet dispersed

يَضرِبنَ حُرَّ وُجُوهٍ لا يُلَوِّحُها

لَفحُ السُمُومِ وَلا شَمسُ المَشارِيق

Striking hot faces untouched

By the winds of poison or the suns of daybreak

كَأَنَّ أَعناقَهُنَّ التُلعَ مُشرِفَةً

مِمّا يُحَلَّقُ مِن تِلكَ الأَبارِيقِ

Their necks craning as if from goblets tipped back

Of the drinks being passed around those pitchers

حَتّى اِنتَهَت إِلى دَعجاءَ جالِسَةٍ

قَد تَرَكَت أَهلَ بَيتِ اللَهِ في ضِيقِ

Until we reached a frowning Dowjah sitting

Having left the people of God's house in distress

تُنَضِّحُ الرِيقَ مِن فِيها إِذا نَطَقَت

كَأَنَّما مَضَغَت عِلكَ الذَعاليقِ

Spitting saliva from her mouth when she spoke

As though she had chewed the bitter colocynth