عَرِّج عَلى الدارِ الَّتي كُنّا بِها
تَغَيَّرَت مِن بَعدِ عَهدِنا بِها
Pass by the house we once inhabited
It has changed since we lived in it
غَيرَ ثَلاثٍ لَم تَزَل تَشقى بِها
كَنُقَطِ الثاءِ لَدى كُتّابِها
Except for three, it was always miserable
Like the dot under the letter thaa with its scribes
تَنَفَّسَت بَعدَ الكَرى الصَبا بِها
وَاِنتَقَبَ المُسفِرُ مِن تُرابِها
It took a deep breath after distress, with youthfulness in it
And the dawn wiped off the dust from it
وَاِهتَزَّ فيها النَورُ وَالنَقا بِها
حينَ تَرى الكَمِيَّ إِذ يُعنى بِها
Light and clarity shook in it
When the professional took care of it
وَالصُدقُ لا يُعرَفُ مِن غُرابِها
كَغادَةٍ عَزَّت عَلى طُلّابِها
And truth cannot be recognized from its covering
Like an inaccessible beloved to her seekers
غالِيَةِ الوَصلِ عَلى أَحبابِها
ساخِطَةٍ قَد رَضِيَ الهَوى بِها
Expensive to reach for her loved ones
Angry, though desire was pleased with her
تَلتَهِبُ البيضُ عَلى أَبوابِها
وَغَمرَةٌ لِلمَوتِ تُتَّقى بِها
The white days blaze at her doors
And a flood of death to be feared in her
حَضَّرتُها وَكُنتُ مِن أَصحابِها
فَطارَتِ الهاماتُ عَن رِقابِها
I prepared it and was one of its owners
Necks were free of worries in it
وَناقَةٍ في مَهمَهٍ رَمى بِها
هَمٌّ إِذا نامَ الوَرى سَرى بِها
And a she-camel roaming freely in it
A care, roving when people sleep
فَهيَ أَمامَ الرَكبِ في ذَهابِها
كَسَطرِ بِسمِ اللَهِ في كِتابِها
She’s ahead of the caravan in her departure
Like lines beginning with “In the name of God” in their scripture
