1. The full moon, bent by the howdah and its saddlecloth
My excuse for his blemish being outspread
١. بَدرُ تَمٍّ يَثنِيهِ دِعصٌ وخُوطُ
عُذري في عِذارِهِ مَبسُوطُ
2. What good are lessons to the unheeding mind
Were the pages to reveal their lines?
٢. أيُّ دُرٍّ للثَّقبِ أيُّ كتابٍ
لَو تَأتَّت بِصَفحَتَيهِ الخُطُوطُ
3. When he raved, I called it but transient madness
When he erred, said only a pearl had slipped.
٣. وإِذا اغتَرَّ قُلتُ ظَبيٌ غَريرٌ
وإِذا افتَرَّ قلتُ دُرٌّ سقِيطُ