1. وَمُستَوجِبٍ لِلحُبِّ شَتّى غَرائِبُهُ

    يُدِلُّ بِحُسنٍ ما تَقَضّى عَجائِبُه

    And one deserving of love, whose marvels are manifold,

    Presumes upon a beauty whose wonders never end.

  2. وَقَد جَرَحَت عَيناهُ قَلبي فَأَصبَحَت

    مُكَلَّمَةً أَوساطُهُ وَجَوانِبُه

    And his eyes have wounded my heart, so now

    Its center and its sides lie wounded.

  3. يَرى أَنَّ عَطفي قَد أَحاطَ بِصَدِّهِ

    مُلِحّاً عَلَيهِ كالغَريمِ يُطالِبُه

    He sees that my affection has hemmed in his rejection,

    Pressing him like a creditor demanding his due.

  4. تَأَنَّيتُهُ حيناً فَلَمّا رَأَيتُهُ

    إِذا اِزدادَ ليناً جانِبي عَزَّ جانِبُه

    I waited patiently for him awhile; then, when I saw that

    Whenever my side grew softer, his grew harder,

  5. ذَخَرتُ لَهُ في الصَدرِ مِني مَوَدَّةً

    وَخَلَّيتُ عَنهُ مُهمَلاً لا أُعاتِبُه

    I stored affection for him within my own breast,

    And left him alone, unheeded, without reproaching him.

  6. فَلَم يَبقَ مِنهُ في يَدي غَيرُ خَصلَةٍ

    أَرومُ بِها ما لا تُرامُ مَطالِبُه

    So nothing of him remained in my hand but one thing,

    Through which I seek what no pursuit can attain:

  7. رَجاءٌ كَشِبهِ اليأَسِ أَمسى يَقوتُني

    أَذُبُّ بِهِ عَنّي الرَدى وَأُغالِبُه

    A hope akin to despair, which now nourishes me;

    With it I ward death off from myself and struggle against it.