أَنفَقتُ بَعدَ أَبي العَلاء مَدامِعاً

حُبسَت ذَخيرَتُها عَلى الإِنفاقِ

I shed tears for Abu al-Ala after his death

Their treasure was withheld from spending

وَبَكَيتُهُ وَجُفونُها مَوجودَة

مِثلَ الحَمامِ تَنوحُ بِالأَطواقِ

And I cried for him while my eyelids flowed

Like doves moaning in cages

لا تَدَّعي حُسنَ الوَفاءِ بِعَهدِهِ

مِن بَعدِ ما فَنِيَت وَطَرفي باقي

Do not claim the merit of loyalty after

What has passed and my eyes remain

وَلَقَد حَذَرتُ عَلَيهِ لَو دَفَعَ الرَّدى

حَذَري وَرَدَّ مَنِيَّهُ إِشفاقي

And I had warned him, had adversity pushed

My warning, and his kindness pushed it back

وَظَنَنتُ في فَيضِ الدُّموعِ مِنَ الجَوى

فَرَجاً فَصارَ بِمائِها إِحراقي

And I thought the outpouring tears would bring

Relief, but their water brought burning

لَهَفي عَلَيكَ وَكَيفَ يَنفَعُ ذاهِباً

لَهَفَ الحَزينِ وَلَوعَةَ المُشتاقِ

My yearning for you—but how can it profit one departed?

The sorrowing man’s panic, the longing lover’s ache