1. O you who let the singing gazelle slip through his hands
Why did you not hold on to her, presenting yourself as a hunter?

2. Taste blame, defeated, for she has done no wrong
The cup of regret, if you are made to drink it straight, is bitterness

3. She made herself available to you, yet you did not seize the opportunity
He who consults incompetence will not rouse opportunities

4. And one skilled in the hunt was urging you on about her
If not for you, he would not have hesitated or drawn back

5. Indeed when an intelligent man's goal eludes him
He strives for it and does not look for excuses