روَّحَها مخمسةً خمائصاً

جُبّاً من الإعياء أو وقائصا

I comforted her, tired and worn,

Exhausted, limping wearily along,

قرومَها الجِلَّةَ والقلائصا

موبرةً تحسبها قصائصا

Her neck drooping, her strength all gone,

A withered thing you'd think had no life long.

زاد الربيعُ وغدت نواقصا

إذا مشت على الحصى حوائصا

When spring returned she was but skin and bone,

Walking with care lest she strike a stone.

عاد بها لذّاعُه قوامصا

تسأل بالماء القطا الفواحصا

Her master took her back, a welcome boon,

She begged water from the rain with panting moan,

إذا السحاب اغترّها مُراقِصا

ردّتْ عليه أعيناً أخاوصا

When clouds would mock her, speeding past so fast,

She gazed at them with eyes of longing vast,

يغدو السفا لموقهن باخصا

حتى لحقن طيِّعاً وعائصا

At dawn the travelers left, their beasts athirst

Till they could reach the well, though like to burst.

يفلين من روض الحمى العقائصا

ويحتلبن اللُّمَّعَ النشائصا

They drained the lovely meadows' channels dry

And milked the udder that was wrinkled, shy.

يا لك ربعاً بالنخيل شاخصا

أين الظباء تقنص القوانصا

O what a lovely place with palms outspread!

Where are the gazelles that grazed and fled

بأوجهٍ لم تعرف الوَصاوصا

وأنملٍ يبسطنها رواخصا

With faces that no blemish ever marred,

Hooves that scattered the pebbles near and far,

إذا ضممن في الدجى القَرابصا

نمَّ عليهن الحُليُّ آبصا

When in the gloaming they were folded in,

Their jeweled collars shone beneath their chin.

أيام أرعيك الهوى مخالصا

مناوئاً غيّ الصبا مناوصا

For days, desire, I tended you with care,

Enduring absence, separation's snare,

ذلك حتى عدتُ ظلاًّ قالصا

قل لامرىء نابلني القوارصا

Until I wasted away in despair,

Say to the one whose slander was not fair,

مستخفياً وذمَّ فضلى ناقصا

عمَّك جهلٌ أتعب الخصائصا

Scorning my merit, ranking me not there,

In your ignorance you judge what you can't know

عش حاسداً ما شئت أو قل خارصا

تعلقُ مني قُلقُلاً محارصا

Live on in envy, hate me, be my foe!

I will oppose, though shaken by your blow,

مصابراً أقرانَه مرابصا

حتى يَردَّ كلَّ مخزٍ ناكصا

Patient, though stung by unkind acts you sow,

Till every slanderer is laid low,

حرّمتُ شرباً ما رزقتُ خابصا

يا لك دَرّاً لو تكون خالصا

I shun the gifts of those I disavow.

Would you were pure gold and perfect in show!

إن ترد الجمر تجده قابصا

قبلك أقذيت عِداً أخاوصا

But if tried by fire, you'd melt and flow.

Before you I endured a treacherous band,

تنصّ نحوي أعيناً شواخصا

تلفُّتَ العانةِ راعت قانصا

Who smiled at me while scheming underhand.

When she who blames glanced sidelong in disdain,

ففتُّها بمهَلي حرائصا

فوتَ الرؤوس أعيتِ الأخامصا

I gently chided her with soft refrain,

The heads withdrew, the busy tongues were still,

فقل مطيلاً فيّ أو ملاخصا

تشرِ المنايا من فمي رخائصا

Say what you will of me, reproach your fill!

Death's drought will one day in my mouth distill,

وربما عفوت عنك ماحصا

جهدُ البعوض أن يكون قارصا

Perhaps I'll pardon you and wish no ill.

The gnat still strives to criticize and sting!