أَتانيَ في الطَيفاءِ أَوسُ بنُ عامِرٍ
لَيَخدَعَني عَنها بِجِنِّ ضِراسِها
Aws ibn Amir came to me about al-Tayfa.
He sought to trick me out of her with talk of the fury of her teeth.
فَسامَ قَليلاً يائِساً غَيرَ ناجِزٍ
وَأَحضَرَ نَفساً واثِقاً بِمكاسِها
He made a small bid, despondent and unable to conclude the deal.
Yet he came with a spirit confident in bargaining for her.
فَأَقسَمتُ لَو أَعطيتَ ما سُمتَ مِثلَهُ
وَأَنتَ حَريصٌ ما غَدوتَ بِراسِها
So I swore: even if you gave an amount equal to what you bid,
Eager as you are, you would not go away leading her by the head.
أَغَرَّكَ مِنها عَذمُها عَن حوارِها
تَقَذُّرَ أُمِّ السَكنِ عِندَ نِفاسِها
Did her snapping at her calf mislead you about her,
Like the aversion of the mother of al-Sakan at childbirth?
فَوَلّى وَلَم يَطمَع وَفي النَفسِ حاجَةٌ
يُرَدِّدُها مَردودَةً بِإِياسِها
He turned away without hope, though a desire remained in his heart,
Turning it over, only to have it turned back by despair of her.
Sol 6