لَقَد ظَلَمت مِرآتَها أُمُّ مالكٍ

بِما لاقتِ المرآةُ كانَ مُحَرَّدا

The mirror of Umm Malik has done her wrong

With what the mirror faced, it was stripped bare

أَرَتها بِخدَّيها غُضوناً كأَنّها

مَجَرُّ غُصونِ الطلحِ ما ذُقنَ فَدفَدا

It showed her cheeks to be tender branches, as if

They were the flowing branches of tamarisk, undefended

رأَت مَحجِراً تَبغي الغطاريفُ غَيرَهُ

وَفَرعاً أَبى إِلا انحِداراً فأَبعَدا

It saw an eyebrow seeking to outdo others'

And a branch that insisted on sagging, so it distanced

وأَسنانَ سَوءٍ شاخِصاتٍ كأَنَّها

سوامُ أُناسٍ سارحٌ قَد تَبَدّدا

And bad projecting teeth, as if they

Were tent pegs of folks dispersed and separated

فأقسمُ لَولا أَن حُدباً تَتابَعَت

عَليَّ وَلَم أَبرَح بدَينٍ مُطَرَّدا

So I swear, had successive sorrows not

Afflicted me, and I did not remain in constant debt

لَزاحمتُ مِكسالاً كأَنَّ ثِيابَها

تَجِنّ غَزالاً بِالخَميلةِ أَغيَدا

I would have contended with her weariness, as if her clothes

Were hunting a gazelle with a noose, lying in wait

إِذا أَنت باكَرت المَنيئة باكَرت

مَداكاً لَها مِن زَعفرانٍ وإِثمدا

When you start early for al-Mani'a, you start

Provisions for it of saffron and perfumed leather