1. I behold between wares and a tent
How lightning shone or faded away

2. Its flash alerted me though sleep did not
Visit my eyes, but it startled a lonely mind

3. The throbs of my heart settled for it
And my inflamed ribs cooled it

4. As if it reveals folds with brightness
Quenching thirst or collecting honey

5. Oh how remote is the one I wished was near
Deceitful sincerity made me imagine so

6. And a morning breeze at the stones
Brought back the days of youth, the zephyr of youth

7. What scent did the perfume-seller reveal
More fragrant than it, and sweeter?

8. Ask the guide who leads the yearning to pasture
And brings back those gone astray

9. I am returning while the goal is commotion
So the star of an era has set

10. Circling at Minā without fear or anticipation
Meeting this way and that way

11. Drawing lots about me or picked
Fate brought union openly but meeting me

12. With its ugliness concealed
There one who sold the gems of his dreams

13. For rags, the wise experienced one counts as rags
And a critic turning away from my passion

14. Denies it though if he loved he'd swoon
If I profess my love he dislikes it

15. Even if I pretend anger
It is not for him that I loved Babylon

16. With stones or dark-eyed Zainab
He blames me, none dies but as a critic

17. Or lives, living tortured by love
He said "You loved an old woman" deeming it

18. A shortcoming. Yes, I loved an old woman
Does hair changed for hair

19. Change the changer for me from a paste to paste?
Loyalty, passion, and eloquence refused

20. Excuses for the treachery of a slim form, so it refused
I am not of the nature of your days

21. If hearts change, mine would not change
Nor a two-faced one who blames the friend

22. And blames the absent
My heart expands if friends come near or go

23. And for love, time brought ease or sprang forth
Who excuses me for one who fades whenever

24. He sins a day and I excuse the sinner?
He smiles fully in my face

25. And if absent and I am mentioned, he frowns
He sends me a dove, but if he sees

26. Malice, he creeps behind me like a scorpion
How numerous are people, yet how few

27. And how few among the few are the excellent
If only when they were not created

28. Refined, they accompanied the refined
Their war and peace would have taught them

29. To tie the horse's tether or tie the tent ropes
They ruled counting kings as few

30. And loved the middle of the stream describing the Arabic people
Their contemporaries please you

31. And in ancient times what the books have transmitted
When men's necks are bowed by vileness

32. They smell with proud noses
They lengthen seeking the foxes of the plains

33. You'd think their walking is a cavalry's riding
And their branches tell of their origin

34. As stars tell of things gone and sunk
I respond to your thanks as I called you

35. Though I called randomly not with precision
You were a gateway to my hopes

36. If it weren't for the sitting of fortune cutting me off
People were astonished when you took it on

37. Without pay, so I said no wonder
My eyes are mine and my hands so how can

38. What my hands safeguarded evade me?
How can affection not spur him to please me

39. When ties of lineage returned to affinity
And a liking, if sincere to the son of my father

40. Would shake his compassion and disturb him
If he forgot in it absentminded

41. And avoided its path, fleeing
And a critic roused suspicion in me about him

42. With no crime, yet I blamed him
But I accepted the excuse or destroyed it

43. Knowingly, and I reproached him, so he was excused
And he reconsidered, giving a pledge

44. To overlook what had gone
Thank her for an agency from me

45. Over myself, and repay her due as obliged
Who is like me, forgiving a brother

46. Pleased with the excuse when he is angry
And protect your glory from another who chooses

47. Great loyalty but drags suspicions
Roll up your sleeves to regain it

48. And bury the evil of her pursuit in ruins
My hopes still appease me

49. Without what sealed the rift of estrangement
Leave me complaining and asking

50. And take my words as textured prose
Yesterday the wings of passion were

51. Flying delightfully though claws clung to my liver
And separation ate the fat of my skin

52. Until the breast of my chest became a tail
Through you life pleases me

53. And returns as you return nearing me
The herald said "coming" so I said "who?"

54. He said: "Abu Mansur," I said "welcome!"
I stood not possessing what would suffice

55. Except grace, for reward and love
I sip where your name is topped, I don't

56. Imagine I sip except from the spring
Affection from fate for me and consideration

57. Came though I didn't anticipate them
But in your absence at times

58. I become fearful and exhausted at dawn and dusk
If my ribs settle, they remember

59. Your companionship, so they tremble without cause
Repel with your chest what you can

60. One day, restore the cloven union
Loosen your hands in the expansion of its rope

61. And make time extend so it stretches
And relieve my heart tomorrow of the stance

62. In which there will be for me the painful farewell
And do not leave me to ask the riders about

63. A tender heart, and peruse books
No places delighted by you became desolate

64. Nor moist living parched
And you did not stop possessing

65. The forelocks of fortune or usurping them
Until you are openly present

66. Among the stars, rising and waning
Let me remain complaining and asking

67. And take my words as rhymed prose
Yesterday the wings of passion were

68. Flying delightfully in my liver, clawing
And separation ate the plumpness of my skin

69. Until my chest's breast became a tail
Through you life that pleases me returned

70. When you returned nearing me
The herald said "coming," I said "who?"

71. He said: "Abu Mansur." I said: "Welcome!"
I stood, not possessing anything to suffice him

72. Except grace, of reward and love
I sip where your name tops, I don't imagine

73. I sip except from the spring
Affection from fate and consideration for me

74. Came though I didn't anticipate them
But in your absence at times I

75. Become fearful and exhausted at dawn and dusk
If my ribs settle, they remember

76. Your company, so they tremble without cause
Repel with your chest what you can

77. One day, to restore my companionship's union
Loosen your hands in the expansion of its rope

78. And make time extend by pulling it
And lighten the stance on my heart tomorrow