هاجَ ذا القَلبَ مَنزِلُ

دارِسُ الآيِ مُحوِلُ

The heart's abode is now inhabited

By one who studies verses and alters them

غَيَّرَت آيَهُ الصَبا

وَجَنوبٌ وَشَمأَلُ

The verse of youth has changed it

With a southern and northern wind

وَلَقَد كانَ آهِلاً

فيهِ ظَبيٌ مُبَتَّلُ

It used to be populated

By a wearied, afflicted gazelle

طَيِّبُ النَشرِ واضِحٌ

أَحوَرُ العَينِ أَكحَلُ

Of good lineage, bright-eyed

Dark-eyed, kohl-lined

فَلَئِن بانَ أَهلُهُ

فَبِما كانَ يُؤهَلُ

So if its people have left

It is with what suited them

قَد أَرانا بِغَبطَةٍ

فيهِ نَلهو وَنَجذَلُ

It has shown us joy

With which we play and jest

بِجَوارٍ خَرائِدٍ

ذاكَ وَالوُدُّ يُبذَلُ

With intimate friends

As affection is shared

إِذ فُؤادي بِزَينَبٍ

أُمِّ يَعلى مُوَكَّلُ

While my heart is entrusted

To Um Yazid, mother of Yazid

وَهيَ فينا فَلا تُبا

ليهِ تُلحى وَتَعذَلُ

She is above us, so does not refuse

To be called on and summoned

قَبلَ أَن يَستَفِزَّها

قَولُ واشٍ يُحَمِّلُ

Before the words of a slanderer

Provoke her

حينَ أَرسَلتُ ثَهلَلاً

وَأَخو الوُدِّ مُرسِلُ

When I sent Tuhlal

The brother of affection is the sender

بِاِعتِذارٍ مِن سُخطِها

عَلَّ أَسماءَ تَقبَلُ

With an apology for her anger

Hopefully Asma will accept

فَأَتَتني بِما هَوي

تُ مِنَ القَولِ ثَهلَلُ

She brought me the words

I love to hear from Tuhlal

حينَ قالَت تَقولُ زَي

نَبُ إِنّا سَنَفعَلُ

When Zainab said, Tuhlal says

We will surely act

أَنا مِن ذاكَ آيِسٌ

غَيرَ أَنّي أُعَلَّلُ

I am hopeless about that

Except to make excuses

وَأَخٌ يَستَحِثُّني

وَيُنادي وَيَبذُلُ

And a brother who rouses me

Calling me, offering

كُلَّما قالَ لي اِنطَلِق

قُلتُ إِربَع سَأَفعَلُ

Whenever he says to me, set forth

I say, wait, I will do so