خليليَّ ضُمَّاني ونِضوي إلَيكُمَا

إذا كانَ حِسي المُنحنَى تَرِدانِ

My two friends, embrace me and let me lean on you both,

When my stooped self turns to you.

فإنَّ بِحِسي المُنحَنَى لو عَلِمتُما

غَريماً لواني الدين منذُ زَمانِ

For if you knew my stooped self,

You would know I have been lovesick for ages.

ألا لَيتَ شِعري هَل أَسيرَنَّ ناقتي

بوَادٍ بِضَيفَيه الأَراك يَمان

Oh, I wonder, will my she-camel go

Through a valley with two cliffsides in Yemen,

يَمُجُّ النَّدى مِن بَعدِما وَقَد الحَصَى

شِعَابٌ لَهُ مَولِيَّةٌ ومَحَانِ

Where dew springs after the fires are kindled

On a plain with an ally and a refuge?

مَرَرتُ عَلَيه والمناسِمُ تَحتَسي

بِهِ وسِمَاطا سيلِهِ غلِلانِ

I passed by it while the milestones almost vanished

In its flood and its flowing torrents.

وهل أَرَينَّ اللَّحيَ يَبدُو كأنَّهُ

مِنَ البُعدِ سَيقَا غايَةٍ نِزقَانِ

Did I see a beard looming as if

From afar like the tip of a spear?

رآك خليلاك اللَّذانِ تَقَادَمَت

عُهُودُهُما يَوماً فَمَا عَرَفَاني

Your two friends whom you’ve known for ages

Saw you, but they did not recognize me.

فقالا ألا كُنَّا نَخَالُك مَرَّةً

صَديقاً فَلَمَّا شَبَّها نَسيَاني

They said, “Were you not once

Our friend? But when we grew up, we forgot you.”

فقُلتُ أنا الشَّخصُ الَّذي تَشدوَانِه

ولكنَّ مرَّ الدَهر ذُو حَدَثانِ

I said, “I am the one whose praises you sing,

But time with its events has passed.”

خَليليَّ عن أيِّ الَّذي كان بَيننا

من الودّ أو باقي الهَوى تَسَلاني

My two friends, ask me which of the affection

And passion between us do you deny?

فما حُبُّ أُمِّ العَمرِ إلا سجيةٌ

بَراني عليها اللَه حين براني

A mother’s love is but natural disposition

That God made me inclined to then deprived me of.

طَوَاني على بَذلٍ لها ومَوَدَّةٍ

أَجَل وأَنوفُ الكاشِحينَ عَوَانِ

She brought me up with generosity and affection,

Yes, but the envious blamed me.

خَليلانِ أَمَّا أُمُّ عَمروٍ فَمِنهُما

وَأَمَّا عن الأُخرى فلا تَسلاني

My two friends, as for the mother of Amr, she is one of you,

But do not ask me of the other.