أَبا أَحمَدٍ طالَ اِنتِظاري ثَلاثَةً

وَوَعدُكَ داءٌ مِثلُ داءِ المُبَلسَمِ

Oh Abu Ahmad, my waiting has been long, threefold

And your promise is an affliction, like the affliction of mumps

أَرِحني بِيَأسٍ أَو بِتَعجيلِ حاجَةٍ

وَأَيتَ بِها لَيسَ النَدى بِمُحَرَّمِ

Relieve me with despair, or with the hastening of a need

And bring it, for morning dew is not forbidden

وَإِلاّ فَبَيِّن لِي بِها وَجهَ مُخرَجٍ

كَفى بِبَيانٍ مِن فَصيحٍ وَأَعجَمِ

Or else, explain to me through it an avenue of escape

Enough explanation from an eloquent one or a mute

وَلا تَكُ كَالعَذراءِ يَومَ نِكاحِها

إِذا اِستوذِنَت في نَفسِها لَم تَكلَّمِ

And do not be like the virgin on her wedding night

When she seeks permission within herself, she does not speak

بَدا لَكَ ضَوءُ ما اِحتَجَبَت عَلَيهِ

بُدُوَّ الشَمسِ مِن خَلَلِ الغَمامِ

The light of what she has hidden herself from has appeared to you

Like the rising sun through a break in the clouds