سَقى سَدرةَ الوادي السحابُ الغَوائِثُ

وَإِن غَيَّرَت مِنهُ اللَيالي العَوائِثُ

The rainclouds watered the valley's lotus tree,

Though the nights have altered it with calamities.

عَذيري مِن الآمالِ خابَت قُصودُها

وَنالَت جَزيلَ الحَظّ مِنها الأَخابِثُ

My excuse - hopes whose aims have failed,

While the wicked reaped abundant fortune from them.

وَقالوا ذُكِرنا بِالغِنى فَأَجَبتَهُمُ

خُمولاً وَما ذِكرٌ معَ البُخلِ ماكِثُ

And they said, "We were remembered with wealth," so I answered them

Sluggishly, for mention with miserliness is not lasting.

يَهون عَلينا أَن يبيد أَثاثُنا

وَتَبقى عَلَينا المُكرَماتُ الأَثائِثُ

It is easy for us if our possessions perish,

As long as the honorable virtues remain for us.

وَما ضَرَّ أَصلاً طَيّباً عدمُ الغِنى

إِذ لَم يُغيّرهُ مِن الدَهر حادِثُ

And no harm befell a good origin by lack of wealth,

When the accidents of time did not change it.

وَهَل عِندَ صَفوان بِن إِدريس أَنَّني

مُقيمٌ عَلى عَهدِ المَوّدَةِ ماكِثُ

Does Safwan ibn Idris think that I

Remain steadfast to the covenant of affection?

وَإِن كُنتُ قَد خاطَبتُ فَصل خِطابِهِ

فَعاقَت عَن الوّد الخَطوبُ الكَوارِثُ

And if I had addressed the context of his speech,

Love's engagements would turn away from disasters.