رَحَلَت فَغَيرُ دُموعِيَ الدُرَرُ

وَلِغَيرِيَ الأَحزانُ وَالفِكَرُ

She departed—but the pearls are not my tears;

grief and brooding are for someone other than me.

لَو تَكشِفونَ نِقابَها سَبَقَت

مِنكُم إِلَيَّ بِبَينِها البُشَرُ

Were you to lift her veil, there would race

from you to me glad tidings of her parting.

أَنا مُجمِلٌ لَكُمُ سَماجَتَها

وَجهُ اِبنِ أَعمَشَ عِندَها قَمَرُ

I will sum up her ugliness for you:

Ibn A‘mash’s face, beside hers, is a moon.

وَمُبَيِّنٌ لَكُمُ غَثاثَتَها

لَفظُ اِبنِ أَعمَشَ عِندَها سَمَرُ

And I will make her insipidity plain to you:

Ibn A‘mash’s speech, beside hers, is delightful night-talk.