ذَكَرتُكِ وَالحَدَّادُ يَضرِبُ قَيدَهُ

عَلَى السّاقِ مِن عَو جاءَ بادٍ كُعوبُهَا

I remembered you while the blacksmith struck his chains

On the shin from a branch that brought shoes.

فَقُلتُ لِرَاعِى السِّجنِ وَالسِّجنُ جامِعٌ

قَبَائِلَ مِن شَتَّى وشَتَّى ذُنُوبُهَا

So I said to the guardian of the prison, and the prison brings together

Tribes of diverse and diverse sins.

أَلاَ لَيتَ شِعرِى هَل أَزُورَنَّ نِسوَةً

مُضَرَّجَةً بِالزَّعفَرانِ جُيُوبُهَا

Oh, I wish I knew, will I visit women

Drenched in saffron, their pockets.

وَهَل أَلقَيَن بِالسِّدرِ مِن أَيمَنِ الحِمَى

مُصَحَّحَةَ الأَجسامِ مَرضَى قُلُوبُهَا

Did they find relief at Sidr from the auspicious sanctuary

Healing bodies, though hearts are ill.

بِهِنَّ مِنَ الدَّاءِ الّذِى أنا عارفٌ

وَلا يَعرِفُ الأَدواءَ إِلاّ طَبِيبُهَا

With them, from the disease I know well

And only their doctor knows the cures.

عَلَيهِنَّ ماتَ القَلبُ مَوتاً وجانَبَت

بِهِنَّ نَوَى غِبٍّ أَشَتَّ شَعُوبُهَا

For them, the heart died a death, and they shunned

With them, an absent one intended, confusing its people.