صَرفُ النَوى لَيسَ بِالمَكيثِ
يَنبِثُ ما لَيسَ بِالنَبيثِ
The turning of stars is not to stay
What sprouts is neither vile nor decay
هَبَّت لِأَحبابِنا رِياحٌ
غَيرُ سَواهٍ وَلا رُيوثِ
Winds blew for our loved ones
Other than it and no unwholesomeness
بُدورُ لَيلِ التَمامِ حُسناً
عينُ حُقوفٍ ظِباءُ ميثِ
The beauty of the night of perfection
The eye of an owl, an old ruined nest
بَينَ الخَلاخيلِ وَالأَساوي
رِ وَالدَماليجِ وَالرُعوثِ
Among the anklets, braids, and headbands
Fragrance, musk, and pleasant scents
مِن كُلِّ رُعبوبَةٍ تَرَدّى
بِثَوبِ فَينانِها الأَثيثِ
From every doe who lowers her veil
With her thin dress and ornaments
كَالرَشَأِ العَوهَجِ اِطَّباهُ
رَوعٌ إِلى مُغزِلٍ رَغوثِ
Like a limping deer, I chased it
To a noisy spinning wheel it went
رَعَت جَنابَي عُوَيرِضاتٍ
مِن خَزَماتٍ وَمِن شُثوثِ
My thighs enjoyed the smooth skin
Of foxes, rabbits, and fawn hence
وَلاحِبٍ مُشكِلِ النَواحي
مُنخَرِقِ السَهلِ وَالوُعوثِ
And a beautiful lover with parted hills
Crossing plains and lowlands since
لَم تُزجَرِ العيسُ في قَراهُ
مُذ عَصرِ نوحٍ وَعَصرِ شيثِ
The camel-herd was never blamed in its dwellings
Since the era of Noah and the time of Seth
كَأَنَّ صَوتَ النَعامِ فيهِ
إِذا دَعا صَوتُ مُستَغيثِ
As if the ostrich's voice within
When the voice of one crying for help
قَلَّصتُهُ بِالقِلاصِ تَهوي
بِالوَخدِ مِن سَيرِها الحَثيثِ
I shortened its pace, it slid
Down the cheek in quick swift
مِن كُلِّ صُلبِ القَرا مَعوجٍ
وَكُلِّ عَيرانَةٍ دَلوثِ
Of every crooked gelding
And each dirty camel stud
ذي مَيعَةٍ مَشيُهُ الدِفَقّى
وَذاتِ لَوثٍ بِها مَلوثِ
With swaying gait, its walk wobbling
And one filthy, soiling what it trod
يَطلُبنَ مِن عَقدِ وَعدِ موسى
غَيرَ سَحيلٍ وَلا نَكيثِ
Seeking from Moses' promised word
Other than tergiversating or violating the pledge
بَنانُ موسى إِذا اِستَهَلَّت
لِلناسِ نابَت عَنِ الغُيوثِ
The crosses of Moses, when adorned
For people, grew devoid of any clouds
حَيثُ النَدى وَالسَدى جَميعاً
وَمَلجَأُ الخائِفِ الكَريثِ
Where dew and rain come together
And refuge for the worried weak
حَيثُ لَبونُ النَوالِ تَهمي
غَيرَ شَطورٍ وَلا ثَلوثِ
Where the cups of drinking roam
Without crossing any limits or borders
وَالمَجدُ مِن تالِدٍ قَديمٍ
ثَمَّ وَمِن طارِفٍ حَديثِ
And glory from an ancient lineage
Then from a noble recent source
إِن تَستَبِثهُ تَجِد عُراماً
مِن مُستَباثٍ لِمُستَبيثِ
If you trace its lineage you'll find
One who avenges the avenger of the slain
وَحَيَّةً أُفعُوانَ لِصبٍ
يَعيثُ في مُهجَةِ العَيوثِ
And snakes, serpents for a youth
Who wreaks havoc on the minds of fools
تَغدو المَنايا مُسَخَّراتٍ
وَقفاً عَلى سَمِّهِ النَفيثِ
Death comes subjugated
Standing over its terrible venom
وَصارِمَ الشَفرَتَينِ عَضباً
غَيرَ دَدانٍ وَلا أَنيثِ
With its two sharp blades, angrily
Other than to bite or to be tender
لَيثاً وَلَكِنَّهُ حِمامٌ
صُبَّ اِنتِقاماً عَلى اللُيوثِ
A lion but he is a pigeon
Who poured revenge on the lions
أَنكِد بِأَريِ النَوالِ ما لَم
يَحلُ مِنَ العُشبِ وَالجُثوثِ
Deny the cups of drinking what was not
Permissible of grass and corpses
ما الجودُ بِالجودِ أَو تَراهُ
لَيسَ بِنَزرٍ وَلا لَبيثِ
What is generosity with generosity? Or do you see it
As little or worthless?
طالَ المَدى فَاِعتَراكَ عَتبٌ
مِن صادِقِ الوُدِّ مُستَريثِ
The journey was long so blame came
From a sincere loving friend
خُذها فَما نالَها بِنَقصٍ
مَوتُ جَريرٍ وَلا البَعيثِ
Take it, for it did not reach it with any deficiency
The death of al-Jurayri or the resurrector
وَكُن كَريماً تَجِد كَريماً
في مَدحِهِ يا أَبا المُغيثِ
And be generous, you will find one generous
In praising you, O helper of the seekers
