كَلِفتُ بِشَمسٍ لا تَرى الشَمسُ وَجهَها

أُراقِبُ فيها أَلفَ عَينٍ وَحاجِبِ

I am tasked with a sun unseen by the sun itself

I watch it with a thousand eyes and an eyebrow

مُمَنَّعَةٍ بِالخَيلِ وَالقَومِ وَالقَنا

وَتَضعُفُ كُتبي عَن زِحامِ الكَتائِبِ

Protected by horses, people and spears

My writings fade against the crush of battalions

وَلَو حَمَلَت عَنّي الرِياحُ تَحِيَّةً

لَما نَفَذَت بَينَ القَنا وَالقَواضِبِ

Were the winds to carry my regards to her

They would not break through between the spears and ships

فَما لِيَ مِنها رَحمَةٌ غَيرَ أَنَّني

أُعَلِّلُ نَفسي بِالأَماني الكَواذِبِ

I have from her no mercy but that I

Comfort myself with false hopes

أَغارُ عَلى حَرفٍ يَكونُ مِنِ اِسمِها

إِذا ما رَأَتهُ العَينُ في خَطِّ كاتِبِ

I envy a letter that is part of her name

Seen by the eye in a scribe's script