لَقَد صاحَ بِالبَينِ الحَمامُ النَوائِحُ

وَهاجَت لَكَ الشَوقَ الحُمولُ الرَوائِحُ

The doves cried out with lamentation

And yearning for you stirred fragrant passions

حَلَلنا الحِمى حَتّى اِنمَحَت نَبهَةُ النَدى

وَسارَت بِأَخبارِ المَصيفِ البَوارِحُ

We pitched our tents until the dew's brilliance faded

And the news of summer set out on the winds

رَمَتني بِلَحظٍ فِعلَهُ المَوتُ واصِلٌ

إِلى النَفسِ لا تَنأى عَلَيهِ المَطارِحُ

With a glance, death's messenger aimed

Straight at my soul, beyond all defenses

كَلَحظَةِ بازٍ صائِدٍ قَبلَ كَفِّهِ

بِمُقلَتِهِ وَالطَيرُ عَنهُ بَوارِحُ

Like the glance of a hunting falcon before its talons

Grasp prey while it flutters helplessly

لَنا وَفرَةٌ ما وَفَّرَتها دِماؤُنا

وَلا ذَعَرَتها في الصَباحِ الصَوابِحُ

We have a refuge that our blood has not sacrificed

Nor the keen blades of dawn terrified

تَقَسَّمَهُنَّ الحَربُ إِلّا بَقِيَّةً

تَرُدُّ عَلَينا حينَ تُخشى الجَوائِحُ

War divided them, leaving only a remnant

That returns to us when calamity is feared

إِذا غَدَرَت أَلبانُها بِضُيوفِنا

وَفَت لِلقِرى جيرانُها وَالصَفايِحُ

When their milk betrays our guests

And their neighbors unlock the village gates

وَقَيَّدَها بِالنَصلِ خِرقٌ كَأَنَّهُ

إِذا جَدَّ لَولا ما جَنى السَيفُ مازِحُ

Tying them with blades, the tatters

As if, without the sword's harvest, jesters playing

كَأَنَّ أَكُفَّ القَومِ في جَنَباتِهِ

قَطاً لَم يُنَفِّرهُ عَنِ الماءِ سارِحُ

As if enemy palms on their flanks

Were cats undriven from the water by a herdsman

وَقَدَّمَ لِلأَضيافِ فَوهاءَ لَم تَزَل

تُجاهِرُ غَيظاً كُلَّما راحَ رائِحُ

And served our guests only spittle that

Still seethes whenever the winds blow

كَأَنَّ بَناتِ الغَليِ في حَجَراتِها

إِذا ما اِنجَلَت أَفلاءُ خَيلٍ رَوائِحُ

As if the daughters of oppression in their chambers

When the vanguard of horses stirs the winds

وَكَم حَضَرَ الهَيجاءَ في ناصِحِ الشَظا

تَكامَلَ في أَسنانِهِ فَهوَ قارِحُ

And how often the fool comes to sincere counsel

Perfectly armed - his teeth ready to gnaw

لَهُ عُنُقٌ يَغتالُ طولَ عِنانِهِ

وَصَدرٌ إِذا أَعطَيتَهُ الجَريَ سابِحُ

With a neck that ambushes the length of his tether

And a chest - if you race him, a swimmer

إِذا مالَ في أَعطافِهِ قُلتَ شارِبٌ

عَناهُ بِتَصريفِ المُدامَةِ صابِحُ

If he veers into turns, you would say a drinker

Befuddled by quaffing wine at daybreak

أَبى المَوتُ أَن تُخشى شُرَيرَةُ حَلَّهُ

لَعَلَّ الَّذي تَخشى شُرَيرَةَ صالِحُ

Death refused to fear his wicked turning

Perhaps the one you fear turns to righteousness

فَإِن مُتُّ فَاِنعيني إِلى المَجدِ وَالتُقى

وَلا تَسكُبي دَمعاً إِذا قامَ نائِحُ

So if I die, lead me to glory and piety

And do not shed a tear when the keeners wail

وَقولي هَوى عَرشُ المَكارِمِ وَالعُلى

وَعُطِّلَ ميزانٌ مِنَ العِلمِ راجِعُ

Say the throne of honor and sublimity has fallen

And the scales of knowledge hang useless

فَما يُخلِقُ الثَوبَ الجَديدَ اِبتِذالُهُ

كَما يُخلِقُ المَرءَ العُيونُ اللَوامِحُ

For the new robe is not shamed by wearing it

As the eyes of the virtuous do not shame a man