وَكادَت وَبَيتِ اللَهِ أَطنابُ ثابِتٍ

تَقوَّضَ عَن لَيلى وَتَبكي النَوائِحُ

The mighty pillars of Layla's house did quake,

As her elegies wept and the dirges shook.

تَمَنّى فَتىً مِنّا فَلاقى وَلَم يَكَد

غُلاماً نَمَتهُ المُحصَناتُ الصَرائِحُ

A young man wished for her, alas he met

But a boy, raised sheltered by modest maids.

غُلامٌ نَما فَوقَ الخُماسِيِّ قَدرُهُ

وَدونَ الَّذي قَد تَرتَجيهِ النَواكِحُ

A boy who came of age beyond fifteen years,

Yet below what brides do hope to wed.

فَإِن تَكُ نالَتهُ خَطاطِفُ كَفِّهِ

بِأَبيَضَ قَصّالٍ نَمى وَهوَ فادِحُ

And if his soft hands did caress thy cheek,

They were nurtured thus, still tender and meek.

فَقَد شَدَّ في إِحدى يَدَيهِ كِنانَةً

تَداوى لَها في أَسوَدِ القَلبِ قادِحُ

For he had bound to one hand a toy,

Nursing in a dark heart wounds of the coy.