تَعَلَّلتُ بِالشَطّاءِ إِذ بانَ صاحِبي

وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ قَد بانَ إِذ بانَ صاحِبُه

I excused myself with friends when my companion became clear,

And every man becomes clear when his companion does.

كَأَنّي وَبَزّي فَوقَ فَتخاءَ لِقوَةٍ

لَها ناهِضٌ في وَكرِها لا تُجانِبُه

It was as if I and my goat were above a lair of strength,

With a rouser in its den that does not abandon it.

فَباتَت عَلَيهِ يَنفُضُ الطَلَّ ريشُها

تُراقِبُ لَيلاً ما تَغورُ كَواكِبُه

It spent the night over it, shaking off the dew of its feathers,

Keeping watch at night over its setting stars.

فَلَمّا تَجَلّى اللَيلُ عَنها وَأَسفَرَت

تُنَفِّضُ حَسرى عَن أَحَصٍّ مَناكِبُه

When the night unveiled itself from it and dawned,

It shakes off sorrow from a downcast forehead.

رَأَت ثَعلَباً مِن حَرَّةٍ فَهَوَت لَهُ

إِلى حَرَّةٍ وَالمَوتُ عَجلانُ كارِبُه

It saw a fox from the thickets so it swooped down on it

To the thickets while death hastened its demise.

فَخَرَّ قَتيلاً وَاِستَمَرَّ بِسَحرِهِ

وَبِالقَلبِ يَدمى أَنفُهُ وَتَرائِبُه

So it fell dead while its sorcery continued

And its heart bled while its ornaments dripped.