بَكَرَ العاذِلاتُ فيها صِراحا

بِسَوادٍ وَما اِنتَظَرنَ صَباحا

The virgins wept bitterly throughout the night

In black, not expecting the dawn.

قُلنَ عَزَّ الفُؤادَ عَن أُمِّ بَكرٍ

بِعَزاءٍ قَدِ اِفتَضَحتَ اِفتِضاحا

They said, "It is hard for the heart to be consoled

With consolation that has become a disgrace."

قُلتُ ما حُبُّها عَلَيَّ بِعارٍ

إِن مُحِبٌّ يَوماً مِنَ الدَهرِ باحا

I said, "My love for her is no shame to me.

For a lover one day may speak openly."

قَد أَرى أَنَّكُنَّ قُلتُنَّ نُصحاً

وَاِجتَهَدتُنَّ لَو أُريدُ صَلاحا

"You have spoken sincerely," I told them.

"And tried hard, had I wanted to be set right."

لَو دَويتُنَّ مِثلَ دائي عَذَرتُن

نَ وَلَكِن رَأَيتُكُنَّ صِحاحا

"Had you felt my pain, you'd have excused me.

But you saw me in good health."

أَو تَحَبَّبنَ لا تَعُدنَ فَإِنّي

قَد أَريتُ الوُشاةَ مِنّي اِطِّراحا

"Or if you had loved, do not repeat this.

For I have shown the slanderers away from me."

إِنَّها كَالمَهاةِ مُشبَعَةُ الخَل

خالِ صِفرُ الحَشا تُجيعُ الوِشاحا

"She is like a surfeited camel,

Her udder dry, causing the milkers' despair."

في مَحَلِّ النِساءِ طَيِّبَةُ النَش

رِ يُرى عِندَها الوِسامُ قِباحا

"In the women's abode, she makes virtue

Appear ugly when one is with her."

لَم تَزَل مِن هَوى قُرَيبَةَ تَهوى

مَن يَليها حَتّى هَوَيتَ الرِياحا

"She has not ceased from passionate love

For whoever is next to her, even unto the winds."

قَرَّبَتهُ المُقَرِّباتُ لِحينٍ

فَأَتى حَتفَهُ يَسيرُ كِفاحاً

"The flatterers brought him close for a while.

Then he met his fate with little strife."