قالَت سُلَيمى أَتَنوي اليَومَ أَم تَغِلُ

وَقَد يُنَسّيكَ بَعضَ الحاجَةِ العَجَلُ

Sulayma said, "Do you intend to come today, or will you delay

And some urgent need makes you forget?

فَقُلتُ ما أَنا مِمَّن لا يُواصِلُني

وَلا ثَوائِيَ إِلّا رَيثَ أَرتَحِلُ

I said, 'I'm not one who doesn't keep in touch,

My mounts walk only at a leisurely pace.'

أَمَّلتُ خَيرَكِ هَل تَأتي مَواعِدُهُ

فَاليَومَ قَصَّرَ عَن تِلقائِكِ الأَمَلُ

I hoped for your goodness - would its trysts come?

Today, hope of seeing you was cut short.

وَما صَرَمتُكِ حَتّى قُلتِ مُعلَنَةً

لا ناقَةٌ لِيَ في هَذا وَلا جَمَلُ

I didn't blame you until you openly said,

'I have no she-camel or camel for this.'

خُبِّرتُ أَنَّ الفَتى مَروانَ يوعِدُني

فَاِستَبقِ بَعضَ وَعيدي أَيُّها الرَجُلُ

I was told Marwan was threatening me,

So forestall some of my threats, O man!

وَفي يَدومَ إِذا اِغبَرَّت مَناكِبُهُ

وَذِروَةِ الكورِ عَن مَروانَ مُعتَزَلُ

By his hands when the shoulders of his camel hunch

And the summit of the sand-hill, far from Marwan, slopes down,

فَكِتلَةٌ فَرُؤامٌ مِن مَساكِنِها

فَمُنتَهى السَيلِ مِن بَنيانَ فَالحُبَلُ

A block of dwellings, vacant and crudely built

Where the torrent's end marks buildings gone to ruin.

إِنّي تَأَلَّيتُ ما يَنفَكُّ ما بَقِيَت

مِنها عَواسِرُ في الأَقرانِ أَو عُجُلُ

I devised ceaselessly what will not cease

Of hostile clans or quick [fighters] among them.

تَأوي إِلى بَيتِها دُهمٌ مُعَوَّدَةٌ

أَن لا تَرَوَّحَ إِن لَم تَغشَها الحِلَلُ

They shelter in her abode, accustomed

Not to pasture out unless the new moon rises.

مُغَمَّرُ العَيشِ يَأفوفٌ شَمائِلُهُ

تَأبى المَوَدَّةَ لا يُعطي وَلا يَسَلُ

Gloomy of livelihood, of forbidding mien,

Refusing affection, neither giving nor asking.

تَدارَكَ الغَصُّ مِنها وَالعَتيقُ فَقَد

لاقى المَفارِقَ مِنها وارِدٌ دَبِلُ

Preserving herself from him is hardship, while abstinence

Meets rejection from her, and a suitor in distress.

صُهبٌ مَهاريسُ أَشباهٌ مُذَكَّرَةٌ

فاتَ العَزيبَ بِها تَرعِيَّةٌ أَبِلُ

Young ladies, spinsters, masculine in voice,

Whose guardian, a bachelor, herds thin sheep.

فَلَستُ إِن نابَني حَقٌّ بِمُنتَكِرٍ

فيهِ وَلا بَرَمٌ يَعيى بِهِ السُبُلُ

So if a right of mine has evaded me regarding it

I am no denier nor weary of journeys.

لَسنا بِإِخوانِ أُلّافٍ يُزيلُهُمُ

قَولُ العَدُوِّ وَلا ذو النَملَةِ المَحِلُ

We are not brethren brought together then parted

By a foe's word, nor the delusions of a madman."