قالوا عَشِقتَ صَغيرَةً فَأَجَبتُهُم

قالوا عَشِقتَ صَغيرَةً فَأَجَبتُهُم

أَشهى المَطِيِّ إِلَيَّ ما لَم يُركَبِ

أَشهى المَطِيِّ إِلَيَّ ما لَم يُركَبِ

They said, “You have fallen in love with a young woman,” so I answered them:

“The most desirable of mounts to me is one that has not been ridden.

كَم بَينَ حَبَّةِ لُؤلُؤٍ مَثقوبَةٍ

كَم بَينَ حَبَّةِ لُؤلُؤٍ مَثقوبَةٍ

نُظِمَت وَحَبَّةِ لُؤلُؤٍ لَم تُثقَبِ

نُظِمَت وَحَبَّةِ لُؤلُؤٍ لَم تُثقَبِ

How great the difference between a pierced pearl

That has been strung, and a pearl that has not been pierced!”