أَشاقَتكَ لَيلى في اللِمامِ وَما جَزَت

بِما أَزهَفَت يَومَ اِلتَقَينا وَضَرَّتِ

Laila yearned for you in seclusion, and did not repay

What she wasted the day we met, and was ungrateful

كَطَعمِ الشَمولِ طَعمُ فيها وَفارَةٌ

مِنَ المِسكِ مِنها في المَفارِقِ ذُرَّتِ

Like the taste of dates is a delicious taste in it

With musk from her at parting scattered

وَأَغيَدَ لا نِكسٍ وَلا واهِنِ القِوى

سَقَيتُ إِذا أولى العَصافِرِ صَرَّتِ

And I hosted without any dejection or weakened strength

When the small birds twittered noisily

رَدَدتُ عَلَيهِ الكَأسَ وَهيَ لَذيذَةٌ

إِلى اللَيلِ حَتّى مَلَّها وَأَمَرَّتِ

I passed the cup back to him while it was delicious

To the night until it was filled and bitter

وَأَشعَثَ يَهوى النَومَ قُلتُ لَهُ اِرتَحِل

إِذا ما النُجومُ أَعرَضَت وَاِسبَطَرَّتِ

And disheveled desiring sleep, I said to him move

When the stars turn away and disappear

فَقامَ يَجُرُّ الثَوبَ لَو أَنَّ نَفسَهُ

يُقالُ لَهُ خُذها بِنَفسِكَ خَرَّتِ

So he got up dragging his clothes as if

It was said to him take it yourself and leave

أَلا هَل لِسَهمٍ في الحَياةِ فَإِنَّني

أَرى الحَربَ عَن روقٍ كَوالِحَ فُرَّتِ

Is there no fate in life, for I

See war over pasture like the pregnant came close to birthing

وَلَن يَفعَلوا حَتّى تَشولَ عَلَيهِمُ

بِفُرسانِها شَولَ المَخاضِ اِقمَطَرَّتِ

And they will not until it exerts pressure on them

With its horsemen, the pressure of childbirth burst forth

عَوابِسَ بِالشُعثِ الكُماةِ إِذا اِبتَغوا

عُلالَتَها بِالمُحصَداتِ أَضَرَّتِ

Frowning with disheveled hair when they seek

Its justification with the harvest time was harmful

تُنازِعُ أَبكارَ النِساءِ ثِيابَها

إِذا أُخرِجَت مِن حَلقَةِ الدارِ كَرَّتِ

It competes with the dresses of virgins

When brought out from the house atmosphere it rolls

بِكُلِّ قَناةٍ صَدقَةٍ رُدَنِيَّةٍ

إِذا أُكرِهَت لَم تَنأَطِر وَاِتمَأَرَّتِ

With every channel of charity, forced

If compelled, it does not hesitate and becomes muddy

وَإِنَّ الحُدودَ الزُرقَ مِن أَسَلاتِنا

إِذا واجَهَتهُنَّ النُحورُ اِقشَعَرَّتِ

And the blue frontiers of our sultanates

When the throats face them shudder

وَلَو وَجَدَت سَهمٌ عَلى الغَيِّ ناصِراً

لَقَد حَلَبَت فيها نِساءٌ وَصَرَّتِ

And if an arrow was found supporter of the lost

Women would have surely milked it and became harmonious

وَلَكِنَّ سَهماً أَفسَدَت دارَ غالِبٍ

كَما أَعدَتِ الجَربى الصِحاحَ فَعُرَّتِ

But an arrow corrupted the house of Ghalib

As bugs spoiled the good health and it became apparent