تَوَهَّمتُ رَبعاً بِالمَعبِّرِ واضِحاً

أَبَت قَرَّتاهُ اليَومَ إِلّا تَراوَحا

I imagined a clear quarter by the crossing,

Yet its two hills refused today to do anything but shift.

أَرَبَّت عَلَيهِ رادَةٌ حَضرَمِيَّةٌ

وَمُرتَجِزٌ كَأَنَّ فيهِ المَصابِحا

A dark, hazel-colored cloud settled upon it,

And flickering as if it contained lanterns.

إِذا هِيَ حَلَّت كَربَلاءَ فَلَعلا

فَجَوزَ العُذَيبِ دونَها فَالنَوابِحا

When it descended upon Karbala, it likely

Allowed the fresh jujube trees passage beneath it, yet not the wailers,

وَبانَت نَواها مِن نَواكَ وَطاوَعَت

مَعَ الشانئينَ الشامِتاتِ الكَواشِحا

And its intention became evident from your intention, and it consented

To the slanderers, the gloating backbiters, and the impudent.

فَقولا لِلَيلى هَل تُعَوِّضُ نادِماً

لَهُ رَجعَةٌ قالَ الطَلاقَ مُمازِحا

So say to Layla, “Will you compensate a regretful man

Who jokingly uttered divorce, yet has an opportunity to return?”

فَاِن هِيَ قالَت لا فَقولا لَها بَلى

أَلا تَتَّقينَ الجارِياتِ الذَوابِحا

If she says “No,” then say to her, “Yes,

Do you not fear the slaughtering slave girls?”