ويومٍ خَدعتُ الدّهَر عنه فلم أَزَلْ

أُعَلِّل نفسي فيه بالرّاح مَعْ صَحْبي

One day I deceived fate about it, so I did not cease

Justifying myself with it being the wind's fault, along with my companions,

لدى روضةٍ عالَت رُباها كُرومُها

وجاد عليه النِّيل من مائه العَذْب

Near a garden whose bushes grew tall,

And the Nile generously watered it with its sweet water,

كأنّ سحيقَ المسك خالَط أرضَها

فجالت به فيها الرِّياح مع التُّرْب

As if the purest musk were mixed with its soil,

So the winds blew it everywhere along with the dust,

كأنّ بناتِ النِّيل والرِّيحُ تَرْتمي

بهنّ طُلَى خيل مُؤَثَّلة شُهْب

As if the Nile's daughters and the winds were throwing

With them the coats of stallions with graying manes,

وطوراً تَخال الماءَ في رونق الضُّحى

مُتونَ سيوفٍ لُحْن مصقولةٍ قُضْبٍ

And sometimes the water seemed in the glow of morning

Like the blades of polished swords with curved hilts,

وتَحسبه إن مَخَّضته يَدُ الصَّبا

قَواريَر ما يَفْتُرن من قلق اللِّعْب

And if the morning breeze stirred it, you would think

It was flasks that girls were playing with, unsettled.

كأنّ المَدَارِي في تَراكُب شَعْرِها

نجومُ الثريا في سواد دُجىً صَعْب

As if the waves in the tangled hair

Were stars of Tura in the darkness of an arduous night.