هُم قد جَفَوا وجفاهُم مالهُ سببُ

وكلَّما جادَ قلبي بالرِّصا غَضبوا

They turned away, though I know not why,

Each time my heart is kind, they angry grow.

أفديهمُ إن نضسوا عَهدي وإن ذَكروا

بِمُقلتيَّ وإن شَطُّوا وإن قربُوا

I'd ransom them, though our pact they deny,

If they but mentioned me, be it high or low.

وإن هُم أقسطوا في الحُب أو قسطوا

واعتبوا المستهامَ الصبَّ أم عَتبوا

Be they most just or unjust in love's span,

Or blame the smitten one, or him who withdrew,

عُلِّقتهُم وغُصونُ العُمرِ مورقةٌ

ريَّانةٌ وجلابيبُ الصبِّا قُشبُ

I clung to them when life's boughs burgeoned and ran

With sap, and the days of youth were fresh with dew,

لا والذي أسلفُوني من صنيعتهم

قدماً وهذي يمينٌ حقُّها يجبُ

No, by Him from whom came the boon of their grace,

By hand and troth, their due cannot be ignored,

جادَت معالِمهُم وطفاءُ ساريةٌ

تبيتُ فيها حواشي البَرقِ تَلتَهبُ

Their signposts stood though the campfire died apace

And lightning flickers spawned by the clouds were stored

ولا جَفَت أرضهم والأرضُ مُجدبةٌ

سحابةٌ ذيلُها في التُّربِ ينحسبُ

In the skies above their land, which never ran dry

Though barren, with roots in its dirt reaching the sky.