1. When the youth's slip of the tongue flays in her words,
It is but a slip that happened to touch a slip.
١. إِذا سَلَقَت عِرسُ الفَتى في كَلامِها
فَما هِيَ إِلّا سِلقَةٌ عارَضَت سِلقا
2. And the finest garb for the fair maidens is a gown
Of beauty that needs no washing or casting off.
٢. وَأَحسَنُ أَثوابِ الأَوانِسِ بُردَةٌ
مِنَ الحُسنِ لا تُنضى لِغَسلٍ وَلا تُلقى
3. And the Lord of handsome visage may do an ugly deed,
While goodness may come from one who lacks grace.
٣. وَيَفعَلُ فِعلاً سَيِّئاً رَبُّ مَنظَرٍ
جَميلٍ وَيَأتي الخَيرَ مَن لَم يَرُق خَلقا
4. Neither is Ghaylan's mother forbidden to greetings,
Nor is Layla's mother loose in her morals.
٤. وَما أُمُّ غَيلانٍ مُحَرَّمَةَ الصَلى
وَلا أُمُّ لَيلى في مَحابِسِها طِلقا