أَبكَيتَ مِن طَرَبٍ أَبا بِشرِ

وَذَكَرتَ عَثمَةَ أَيَّما ذِكرِ

You cried with ecstasy, O Abu-Bishr,

And remembered Uthma in such remembrance,

وَهِيَ الَّتي لَما مَرَرتُ بِها

في الطَوفِ بَينَ الرُكنِ وَالحِجرِ

She who when I passed by her

In circumambulation between the corner and the rock,

قالَت حَصانٌ غَيرُ فاحِشَةٍ

فَسَمِعتُ ما قالَت وَلَم تَدرِ

Said "An undistinguished horse,"

So I heard what she said though she knew it not

لِمَناصِفٍ خُرُدٍ يَطُفنَ بِها

مِثلِ الظِباءِ يَكِدنَ بِالسَدرِ

To a contemptible crippled man circling about her

Like a frightened deer circling round lote-trees,

هَذا الَّذي يَسبي الفُؤادَ وَلا

يَكني وَلَكِن باحَ في الشِعرِ

This one who captivates hearts but does not pretend -

Rather he tells plainly in verse:

إِنَّ الرِجالَ عَلى تَأَلُّفِهِم

طُبِعوا عَلى الإِخلافِ وَالغَدرِ

"Men by their nature

Are inclined to faithlessness and treason."