1. When you reproach me, it is as though
At night my heart is pure and unblemished.
١. وإِذا عَتِبتِ عَلىَّ بِتُّ كأنَّنى
بِاللَّيلِ مُستَحِرُ الفُؤادِ سَلِيمُ
2. And indeed I wanted to be patient with you, but it overcame me-
An attachment to my heart from your love of old.
٢. وَلَقَد أَرَدتُ الصَّبرَ عَنكِ فعاقَنى
عَلَقٌ بِقَلبي مِن هَوَاكِ قَدِيمُ
3. It remains despite the vicissitudes of time and its uncertainty,
And despite your disdain, indeed it is generous.
٣. يَبقى عَلَى حَدثِ الزَّمانِ وَرَيبِهِ
وَعَلَى جَفائِكِ إِنَّهُ لَكَرِيمُ
4. And it endured for a time, so it sought refuge in its patience-
Indeed the lover is forbearing towards the beloved.
٤. وَارَبتِهِ زَمَناً فَعاذَ بِحِلمِهِ
إِنَّ المُحِبَّ عَنِ الحَبيبِ حَليمُ
5. You have come to be ruled by experience and prohibition
From it, and it distributes through you the arbitration.
٥. أَصبَحتِ يَحكُمُكِ التَّجاربُ والنُّهَى
عَنهُ ويوزِعُهُ بِكِ التَّحكيم
6. Do you see those ensnared were delivered after it
And escaped, while in the fetters they wander.
٦. أَتَرَى الأُلى عِلقوا الحَبائلَ بَعدَهُ
فَنَجَوا وَأصبَحَ فى الوَثاقِ يَهيمُ
7. And you reproached when you corrected, while it in its sickness
Is fragmented in censure, correcting and frail.
٧. وعَتَبت حين صحَحتِ وَهوَ بِدَائِهِ
شَتَّى العِتابِ مُصَحَّحٌ وَسَقِيمُ