حَلَفت بِمَن حجت قُرَيش لِبَيتِه

وَأَهدَت لَهُ بُدناً عَلَيها القَلائِد

I swore by the One to whom the Quraysh made pilgrimage to His House

And presented to Him offerings with necklaces upon them

لَئِن كُنت طالَت غيبَتي عَنكَ إِنَّني

بِمَبلَغ حَولي في رِضاكَ لجاهِد

If my absence from you has been long, I strive

To please you however long my journey takes

وَلكِنَّني قَد طالَ سَقمي وَاِكثَرتُ

عَلَيَّ العِهادَ المشفِقات العَوائِد

But my sickness has been so prolonged, and

The sympathetic, concerned visitors have increased upon me

صَريعُ فِراشٍ لا يَزَلنَ يقلن لي

بِنُصح وَاِشفاق مَتى انتَ قاعِد

A bedridden one who is constantly told by well-wishers

With advice and compassion “when will you get up?”

فَلَمّا زَجَرت العيس اسرت بِحاجَتي

إِلَيكَ وَذلت لِلسان القَصائِد

So when wakefulness overcame me, I confided my need

To you, and humbled my tongue to compose poetry

وَإِنّي فَلا تَستَبطني بِمَوَدَّتي

وَنُصحي وَاِشفاقي إِلَيكَ لَعامِد

And I - do not doubt my devotion,

My advice and compassion for you as pillars

فَلا تُقصِني حَتّى اِكونَ بِصرعَة

فَيَيأسَ ذو قُربى وَيَشمتُ حاسِدُ

Do not cut me off until I am incapacitated

When a relative despairs and a hater gloats

انِلني وَقرّبني فَإِنّي بالِغ

رِضاكَ بِعَفو من نِداكَ وَزائِد

Grant me, bring me close, for I will achieve

Your pleasure with pardon from your equal and more

ابِت نائِماً اما فُؤادي فَهمه

قَليلُ وَاما مَس جِلدي فَبارِد

I remain asleep while my heart is somewhat aware

And my skin is touched with cold

وَقَد كانَ لي مِنكُم إِذا ما لَقيتُكُم

ليان وَمَعروف وَلِلخَيرِ قائِد

And I used to have, when I met you

Affection, kindness, and a guide to good

إِلَيكَ رَحَلت العيس حَتّى كَأَنَّها

قِسيُّ السُرى ذبلى برتها الطَرائِد

To you my wakefulness journeyed until it became

One heavy with travel, its freshness wilted by missiles

وَحَتّى هَواديها دقاق وَشكوها

صَريف وَباقي النِقى مِنها شَرائِد

Until its valleys were all furrowed, its complaint

Hilly, and the rest of it polluted shreds

وَحَتّى دَنَت ذاتِ المِراحِ فَاِذعنت

إِلَيكَ وَكلَّ الراسِماتُ الحَوافِد

Until the visit of she of the resting-places drew near

To you, and all the determined pilgrims bowed down