وقائلةٍ بالنُّصْح لمْ لا تَزوَّجُ

فقلت لها غيري إلى القَرْنِ أحوجُ

A woman advising me to marry

I said to her, "Others need a spouse more than me"

كَشَيْخٍ رأيناه تزوَّج آنِفاً

فأمسى وما داناه كسرى المتوَّجُ

Like an old man we saw recently married

Yet by nightfall, his vigor was completely sapped

علا قَرْنُهُ في الجوِّ حَتَّى كأنه

إلى النجم يرقى أو إلى الله يَعْرجُ

His horn shot high into the sky

As if reaching for the stars or ascending to God

على أنه جَعْدُ البنان دُحَيْدحٌ

إذا ما مشى مستعجلاً قيل يَدْرُجُ

Though his curly hair bounced

When he walked quickly, it was said he waddled

أظنُّ أبا حفص سيَحْسَبُ أنه

هو الرجل المعْنيُّ والحق أبلجُ

I reckon Abu Hafs will think

He's the man I mean, but in truth, he's not the one