خَليلَيَّ عوجا نَسأَلِ اليَومَ مَنزِلاً

أَبى بِالبِراقِ العُفرِ أَن يَتَحَوَّلا

My companion bent, today we ask for a dwelling

He refused on the sublime camel hair to transform

بِفَرعِ النَبيتِ فَالشَرى خَفَّ أَهلُهُ

وَبُدِّلَ أَرواحاً جَنوباً وَشَمأَلا

With the fresh twig so the drinker despaired

And the winds changed direction, south and north

ضَرائِرَ أَوطَنَّ العِراصَ كَأَنَّما

أَجَلنَ عَلى ما غادَرَ الحَيُّ مُنخَلا

The belongings of the homeland saddened as though

They piled up on what the living left behind

دِيارَ الَّتي قامَت إِلى السَجفِ غُدوَةً

لِتَنكَأَ قَلباً كانَ قِدماً مُقَتَّلا

The abodes which in the morning stood majestic

To gnaw a heart once a foot now slain

أَرادَت فَلَم تَسطِع كَلاماً فَأَومَأَت

إِلَيَّ وَلَم تَأمَن رَسولاً فَتُرسِلا

She wanted to but couldn’t speak so gestured

To me, not trusting a messenger to send

بِأَن بِت عَسى أَن يَستُرَ اللَيلُ مَجلِساً

لَنا أَو تَنامَ العَينُ عَنّا فَتَغفُلا

That overnight perhaps concealment may shield a gathering

For us or sleep preoccupies so forgets

فَوَطَّنتُ نَفسي لِلمَبيتِ فَوَلَّجوا

لِيَ الرَبَضَ الأَعلى مَطيّاً وَأَرحُلا

So I resigned myself to the night and they led

Me up to the highest chamber, departing

وَقالَت لِتِربَيها اِعلَما أَنَّ زائِراً

عَلى رِقبَةٍ آتيكُما مُتَغَفِّلا

And told her fledglings, know a visitor

Upon your necks unperceived comes

فَقولا لَهُ إِن جاءَ أَهلاً وَمَرحَباً

وَلينا لَهُ كَي يَطمَئنَّ وَسَهِّلا

So say to him welcome and greetings

And make him comfortable, put at ease

فَراجَعَتاها أَن نَعَم فَتَيَمَّمي

لَنَ مَنزِلاً عَن سامِرِ الحَيِّ مَعزِلا

They answered her yes, so proceed

For us not an abode from the living isolated

وَلا تَعجَلي أَن تَهدَأَ العينُ وَاِترُكي

رَقيباً بِأَبوابِ البُيوتِ مُوَكَّلا

And don’t be quick for the eye to calm, leave

A watcher at the doors of homes assigned

فَبِتُّ أُفاتيها فَلا هِيَ تَرعَوي

لِجودٍ وَلا تُبدي إِباءً فَتَبخَلا

I spent the night generously, neither did she

For bounty show disdain or reluctance

وَأُكرِمُها مِن أَن تَرى بَعضَ شِدَّةٍ

وَتُبدي مَواعيدَ المُنى وَالتَعَلُّلا

And I honor her that she not see severity

And show trysts and excuses

فَلَم أَرَ مَأتِيّاً يُؤَمَّلُ بَذلُهُ

إِذا سُئِلَت أَبدى إِباءً وَأَبخَلا

So I didn’t see a woman expected to give

If asked, showing refusal and stinginess

وَأَمنَعَ لِلشَيءِ الَّذي لا يَضيرُها

وَأَسبَي لِذى الحِلمِ الَّذي قَد تَذَلَّلا

And preventing that which doesn’t harm her

And more freely giving what meekness implored

إِذا طَمِعَت عادَت إِلى غَيرِ مَطمَعٍ

بِجودٍ وَتَأبى النَفسُ أَن تَتَحَلَّلا

If she hoped, to other than hopes

With bounty she gives and the soul won’t haggle