أَسَيتُ عَلى الذَوائِبِ أَن عَلاها

نَهارِيُّ القَميصِ لَهُ اِرتِقاءُ

I grieved for the twilights that adorned it

My daytime shirt has ascension

لَعَلَّ سَوادَها دَنَسٌ عَلَيها

وَإِنقاءُ المُسِنِّ لَهُ نَقاءُ

Perhaps its blackness is unclean upon it

And the purity of white has purity

وَدُنيانا الَّتي عُشِقَت وَأَشقَت

كَذاكَ العِشقُ مَعروفاً شَقاءُ

And this world that was loved and pained

Thus is love known as misery

سَأَلناها البَقاءَ عَلى أَذاها

فَقالَت عَنكُمُ حُظِرَ البَقاءُ

We asked it to stay despite its harm

But it said, "Remaining upon you is forbidden"

بُعادٌ واقِعٌ فَمَتى التَداني

وَبَينٌ شاسِعٌ فَمَتى اللِقاءُ

Separation has occurred so when is the proximity

And between is vast so when is the meeting

وَدِرعُكَ إِن وَقَتكَ سِهامَ قَومٍ

فَما هِيَ مِن رَدى يَومٍ وِقاءُ

And your armor if it protects you from a people's arrows

Then it is not protection on any day

ولَستُ كَمَن يَقولُ بِغَيرِ عِلمٍ

سِواءٌ مِنكَ فَتكٌ وَاِتِّقاءُ

And I am not like one who speaks without knowledge

Equal from you is death and caution

فَقَد وَجَبَت عَلَيكَ صَلاةُ ظُهرٍ

إِذا وافاكَ بِالماءِ السَقاءُ

For the noon prayer has become obligatory upon you

When the water carrier comes to you with water

لَقَد أَفنَت عَزائِمَكَ الدَياجي

وَأَفرادُ الكَواكِبِ أَرفِقاءُ

It has wasted your resolves and lonelinesses

And the individuals of stars are most gentle friends

فَيا سِربي لِتُدرِكنا المَنايا

وَنَحنُ عَلى السَجِيَّةِ أَصدِقاءُ

So my companionship to reach death together

While we are most truthful friends

أَرى جَرعَ الحَياةِ أَمَرَّ شَيءٍ

فَشاهِد صِدقَ ذَلِك إِذ تُقاءُ

I see a sip of life is a bitter thing

So witness the truth of that when you take heed