نادَيتُهُ بِالرَملِ وَالأَمرُ ذَكَر

وَقَد مَضى الوِردُ وَأَعجَزَ الصَدَر

I called him with the sand, though the matter was perilous,

And the roses had passed, leaving my chest constricted.

يا عَمرُو ذا الجُمَّةِ وَالوَجهِ الأَغَرّ

قُمِ اِضطِراراً جاوَزَ الأَمرُ الخَبَر

O Amr of the veil and the bright face,

Rise up out of necessity, for the matter has gone beyond words.

فَقامَ مَشزورَ القُوى عَلى مِرَر

كَأَنَّما ناطَ عَلى الجيدِ القَمَر

So he rose, his strength sapped, stumbling,

As if he had tied the moon upon his neck.

مُضطَرِبَ الإِزرَةِ وَقّادَ النَظَر

كَأَنَّما يَنظُرُ مِن وَقبَي حَجَر

His gown fluttering, his gaze wandering,

As if he were looking from the loophole of a wall.

قَدحُ لِحاظٍ كَمُطاراتِ الشَرَر

يُلهِبُ في إِزارِهِ إِذا نَظَر

A piercing glance, like sparks of fire,

Setting his gown aflame whenever he looked.

كَالصِلِّ إِن جَرَّ ذُباباهُ زَفَر

أَوِ الغَريريِّ إِذا عَجَّ هَدَر

Like a hissing serpent, if its coils exhaled a groan,

Or a snarling lion, if it roared.

جَرجَرَ لَمّا سيمَ ضَيماً وَزَأَر

جَرجَرَةَ العودِ بِلا طولَ السَفَر

He growled angrily, having heard of injustice and cruelty,

A deep growl, though the journey was not far.

فَرَدَّها بَعدَ العِراكِ وَالبَهَر

وَاليَومُ ذو مَزادَةٍ تَنضَحُ شَرّ

But he repelled it after the struggle and dazzle,

And today there is an auction overflowing with evil,

حَتّى رَماني بِهَواديها وَمَرّ

مُبتَسِماً كَأَنَّما قَضى وَطَر

Until it cast me into its valleys and passed me by,

While he smiled as if he had fulfilled and crossed over.