أَلا لَيتَ شِعري هَل تَبيتُ مُغِذَّةً

ركابِيَ ما بَينَ النَعائِمِ وَالنسرِ

Alas, would that I knew, does she sleep nurturing

My mounts between luxuries and eagle?

تُجاذِبُ ما بَينَ المَناظِرِ ناظِراً

مُريعاً وَتَتلو مَغرِبَ الطائِرِ النسرِ

She observes the scenes, an observer,

Speedy, and recites the sunset of the eagle.

وَتَرتَعُ مِن رَوضِ الحِمى في مَراتِعٍ

أَرَيت بِها الفَرغَينِ في مُطفيءِ الجَمرِ

And she grazes in the meadows of the sanctuary in pastures

Where I saw the bright stars in the fading embers,

وَلازَمَها سَعدُ السُعودِ وَصَحبُهُ

إِلى أَن تَلاقى الضَبُّ وَالنونُ في وَكرِ

And Saad of good fortune kept her company

Until the wolf and fish met in the burrow,

وَأَهدى لَها الوَسمِيُّ سَبعاً وَسَبعَةً

طُلوع الزُبانى قَبل ذاكَ مَع الفَجرِ

And al-Washmi gave her seven and seven

Risings of Libra before that with dawn,

فَما بَسَطت كَفُّ الخَضيبِ بِنانَها

عَلى الأَرضِ إِلّا وَهيَ مَوشِيَّةُ الأُزرِ

So the grey-haired one has not stretched her palm

On the ground except as it is adorned with bracelets.

فَلا حَبراتُ العصبِ مِن نَسجِ حِميَرٍ

حَكَتها وَلا ما وَشَّعَ القبطُ في مِصرِ

Neither the writings of the bookbinders from the weaving of donkeys

Transcribed it, nor what the Copts embroidered in Egypt.