أقولُ وقد ناحَتْ مُطوَّقةٌ وَرْقا

على فَنَنٍ والصبحُ قد نَوَّر الشَّرْقا

I say, as a chained one wailed

At arts, and dawn made the east glow,

بكَتْ وهْي لم تُبعِدْ بأُلاّفِها النّوى

كإلْفي ولم تَفْقِدْ قَرائنَها الوُرْقا

Weeping, though not taking her friends far,

Like my sandgrouse, nor losing her leafy mates -

كذا كنتُ أبكي ضلّةً في وِصالِهمْ

إلى أن نأوْا عنّي فصار البُكا حَقّا

So I would weep for wandering in their presence

Till they went far from me, and weeping became real.

فلا تَضْرِبي قال الفِراقُ مَجانةً

فَتلقَيْ على فَقْدِ الأحبّةِ ما أَلْقى

So do not lightly part, said parting,

Making me find, losing loved ones, what I find.

خُذي اليومَ في أنْسٍ بإلفِكِ وانْطِقي

بشكْرِ زمانٍ ضَمَّ شَملَكما نُطْقا

Take this day joyfully with your friends, and speak

Thanking a time that joined you two, speaking.

وخَلّي البُكا ما دامَ إلفُكِ حاضراً

يكنْ بين لُقياه وغَيبتِه فَرْقا

Let weeping go, while your friends are present,

Being, between their greeting and leaving, difference.

وفي الدّهرِ ما يُبْكي فلا تَتعَجَّلي

ولا تَحسَبي شَيئاً على حالةٍ يَبْقى

In fate, what weeps - do not hurry,

Nor think a thing stays in one state.