طالَ المُقامُ عَلى تَنَجُّزِ حاجَةٍ

عِندَ الإِمامِ وَقَد ذَكَرتُ إِيابي

The stay was long to get something done

From the Imam, and I mentioned my return

فَجَرَت دُموعي مِن تَذَكُّرِ ما مَضى

وَكَأَنَّ قَلبي في جَناحِ عُقابِ

So my tears flowed remembering what passed

As if my heart was in the wing of an eagle

وَأَحولُ مِن شَرَفِ العَشيرَةِ مُبسِقٌ

قَوماً وَأُمسِكُ عَن هُمامِ الغابِ

And I turn from the nobility of lineage seeking provision

For some people, while holding back from the zeal of youth

يَعقوبُ قَد وَرَدَ العُفاةُ عَشِيَّةً

مُتَعَرِّضينَ لِسَيبِكَ المُنتابِ

O Yaqub, the poor came at evening

Exposing themselves to your sword's stroke

فَسَقَيتَهُم وَحَسِبتَني كَمّونَةً

نَبَتَت لِزارِعِها بِغَيرِ شَرابِ

So you watered them and counted me as a palm tree

That grew for its planter without irrigation

مَه لا أَبا لَكَ إِنَّني رَيحانَةٌ

فَاِشمُم بِأَنفِكَ وَاِسقِها بِذِنابِ

No, my father, I am a sweet basil

So smell me with your nose and water me with your bucket

تُعطي الغَزيرَةُ دَرَّها فَإِذا أَبَت

كانَت مَلامَتُها عَلى الحَلّابِ

The generous palm gives its fruits so if it refuses

The blame is on the date gatherer

طالَ الثَواءُ بِحاجَةٍ مَحبوسَةٍ

شَمِطَت لَدَيكَ فَمُر لَها بِخِضابِ

The stay was long with an imprisoned need

That tore itself before you so pass it with henna