قَطَّعتُهُ يَوماً وَلَيسَ يُطيعُهُ

هَيهاتَ إِنَّ قَناتَهُ لَم تُمضَغِ

I once severed it, though it would not obey,

Alas, its canal was not yet fully formed.

ظَلَّت تُخَوِّفُني لِقاءَ مَنيَّتي

فَأُحِلُّها يا هِندُ مِمّا أَبتَغي

It kept frightening me with the specter of my death,

So unload it, O Hind, of what I seek.

وَأَطَلتِ بي سَفَرَ المَلامَةِ وَالأَذى

فَاِثني الرِكابَ هُنيدَ أَن تَتَبَلَّغي

And you dragged me into the journey of blame and harm,

So rein in your mount, O Hind, lest you attain it.

صَيري إِلى عُذري فَإِنّي مُشتَرٍ

بِالجودِ مِن جودِ الإِلَهِ الأَسبَغِ

Turn to my excuse, for I bargain

Generosity for the generosity of the Bountiful God.

يا مَن يُناجي صَعبَةً في نَفسِهِ

وَيَدُبُّ مِن تَحتِ الأَفاعي اللُدغِ

O you who confides in a disobedient soul

And crawls beneath treacherous snakes' bites.

وَيَبيتُ يُنهِضُ زَفرَةً في صَدرِهِ

مِنّي فَإِن دَمِيَت جِراحي يُولَغِ

Who spends the night rousing sighs in his chest,

My blood will heal my wounds if shed.

وَيَظَلُّ مُنتَهِكاً لِعِرضي آمِناً

وَيُسَرُّ حينَ يَخافُ حُسنَ المَربَغِ

And he remains violating my honor, secure,

Happy when he fears the beauty of silk.

نَغِلَت ضَمائِرُ صَدرِهِ مِن دائِهِ

نَغلَ الإِهابِ مُعَطَّلاً لَم يُدبَغِ

The consciences of his chest are dyed with his disease,

Dyed like undyed hides.

لا تَبتَغي مِنّي الَّتي لا أَبتَغي

إِن كُنتَ مَشغولاً بِشَأني فَاِفرَغِ

Do not seek from me what I do not seek.

If you are busy with my affairs, then make yourself free.

أَنهاكَ غَيرَ مُعاتِبٍ عَن خَطَّةٍ

حَزنٍ مُقَوِّمَةٍ زُيوغَ الزُيَّغِ

You tire me without reproach for a misstep -

Sorrow that straightens the crooked.

عِندي لِأَبناءِ السَخائِمِ وَطأَةٌ

تَرمي رُؤوسَهُمُ إِذا لَم تَدمَغِ

I have severity towards the sons of wickedness

That would strike their heads if they are not dyed.

وَيَخافُ شَيطانُ النِفاقِ مَواقِفي

وَإِذا رَآني حاضِراً لَم يَنزَغِ

And the devil of hypocrisy fears my stances -

If he sees me present, he will not pull.

يُعطي العِنانَ إِذا رَآهُ رَأسَهُ

طَوعاً وَيُعطي سَوطَهُ ما يَبتَغي

He voluntarily gives the rein when he sees his head,

And gives his whip what it seeks.

وَكَأَنَّما شُقَّت عَلَيهِ غُلالَةٌ

بَيضاءُ مِن زُبَرِ الحَديدِ المُفرَغِ

And it is as if white shackles of forged iron

Were forced upon him.