صُفعَ البرهانُ وَمَا رُحما

فَبَكى منْ بعدِ الدّمْع دَما

The proof was slapped, yet shown no mercy,

So it wept tears after which came blood.

قَدْ كانَ شَكا رَمَداً صَعْباً

فأزدادَ بذاكَ الصّفْع عمى

It had been almost blind before,

But the slap made its blindness total.

وَرَمَى النّوروزُ أخادِعَهُ

حتّى باتَتْ تشكو وَرما

The new year pelted it with lies

Till it complained of being bruised.

أدماهُ القومُ بأجربةٍ

كانَتْ حَوراً لا بلْ أدما

They bloodied it with festering wounds

That once were maidens, now but gore.

نَزَلوا سَحراً في ساحله

فَرَأى الإصباحَ بهمْ ظُلَما

At dawn they descended on its shore

And it saw daybreak filled with gloom.

من كُلِّ فتى بالنّطْعِ بدا

مثلَ القصّارِ إذا احترما

Each lad let fly with kicks and blows

Like a shoe-cobbler in a rage.

فَسَقاهُ بها صرفاً سَبعاً

وسقاهُ بها سبعينَ بما

They made it drink seven bitter drafts,

Nay, seventy more - and still it drank.