أُعاتِبُ دَهراً لا يَلينُ لِعاتِبِ

وَأَطلُبُ أَمناً مِن صُروفِ النَوائِبِ

I blame fate, unmoved by blame,

And seek refuge from misfortunes' aim.

وَتوعِدُني الأَيّامُ وَعداً تَغُرُّني

وَأَعلَمُ حَقّاً أَنَّهُ وَعدُ كاذِبِ

Days promise and tempt in vain,

Though I know they promise falsely and cause pain.

خَدَمتُ أُناساً وَاِتَّخَذتُ أَقارِباً

لِعَوني وَلَكِن أَصبَحوا كَالعَقارِبِ

I served and took as kin some folks,

For aid, but they became like scorpion-stings in cloaks.

يُنادونَني في السِلمِ يا اِبنَ زَبيبَةٍ

وَعِندَ صِدامِ الخَيلِ يا اِبنَ الأَطايِبِ

They call me Ibn Zabeba in peace,

And son of brave knights when swords are unleashed.

وَلَولا الهَوى ما ذَلَّ مِثلي لِمِثلِهِم

وَلا خَضَعَت أُسدُ الفَلا لِلثَعالِبِ

But for passion I'd not have stooped so low,

Nor would the lion have bowed to jackals in its woe.

سَيَذكُرُني قَومي إِذا الخَيلُ أَصبَحَت

تَجولُ بِها الفُرسانُ بَينَ المَضارِبِ

My people will recall me when the horses neigh

And riders roam with them through the camps mid-day.

فَإِن هُم نَسوني فَالصَوارِمُ وَالقَنا

تُذَكِّرُهُم فِعلي وَوَقعَ مَضارِبي

And if my people forget, swords and spears remind

Them of my deeds when stirring war I did find.

فَيا لَيتَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ يُدني أَحِبَّتي

إِلَيَّ كَما يُدني إِلَيَّ مَصائِبي

Would that fate unite me with loved ones,

As misfortunes it brings ever closer to my arms.

وَلَيتَ خَيالاً مِنكِ يا عَبلَ طارِقاً

يَرى فَيضَ جَفني بِالدُموعِ السَواكِبِ

Would that your phantom, O Ably, like a shooting star,

Pass by to see me and wet my eyes that softly spar.

سَأَصبِرُ حَتّى تَطَّرِحني عَواذِلي

وَحَتّى يَضِجَّ الصَبرُ بَينَ جَوانِبي

I'll show patience till betrayal unveils its art,

And till patience overflows between my ribs athwart.

مَقامُكِ في جَوِّ السَماءِ مَكانُهُ

وَباعي قَصيرٌ عَن نَوالِ الكَواكِبِ

Your abode's in heaven - its place is known.

While my reach falls short of stars that have grown.