عَرِفتُ مَصيفَ الحَيِّ وَالمُتَرَبَّعا

كَما خَطَّتِ الكَفُّ الكِتابَ المُرَجَّعا

I knew the abode of the living and the settled

As the palm traced the much referenced book

مَعارِفُ أَطلالٍ لِبِثنَةَ أَصبَحَت

مَعارِفُها قَفراً مِنَ الحَيِّ بَلقَعا

The knowledge of remnants for a smile that became

Its knowledge a barren expanse from the living a stain

مَعارِفُ لِلخَودِ الَّتي قُلتُ أَجمِلي

إِلَينا فَقَد أَصفَيتِ بِالوُدِّ أَجمَعا

The knowledge for a cheek I said "Be beautiful to us"

For you have chosen with love in its entirety

فَقالَت أَفِق ما عِندَنا لَكَ حاجَةٌ

وَقَد كُنتَ عَنّا ذا عَزاءٍ مُشَيَّعا

So she said "Wake up, we have no need of you"

While you were from us with comfort escorted

فَقُلتُ لَها لَو كُنتُ أُعطيتُ عَنكُمُ

عَزاءً لَأَقلَلتُ الغَداةَ تَضَرُّعا

So I said "If I were consoled from you

I would have lessened the dawn beseeching"

فَقالَت أَكُلَّ الناسِ أَصبَحتَ مانِحاً

لِسانَكَ كَيما أَن تَغُرَّ وَتَخدَعا

So she said "To all people you have become a flatterer

Your tongue so that you may deceive and beguile"