1. I shook you like the drawing of a glittering sword,
Yet when I struck with you, you bent.
١. هَزَزتُكَ هِزَّةَ السَيفِ المُحَلّى
فَلَمّا أَن ضَرَبتُ بِكَ اِنثَنَيتُ
2. I praised you with the praise of a tempting glance,
That you may flow in generosity as I flowed.
٢. مَدَحتُكَ مِدحَةَ الطِرفَ المُجَلّي
لِتَجري في الكِرامِ كَما جَرَيتُ
3. But oh, that praise went astray to no purpose,
I lied about you in it and fabricated.
٣. فَهَبها مِدحَةً ذَهَبَت ضِياعاً
كَذَبتُ عَلَيكَ فيها وَاِفتَرَيتُ
4. For you are not a man who is faithful,
As though when I praised you, I had committed adultery.
٤. فَأَنتَ المَرءُ لَيسَ لَهُ وَفاءٌ
كَأَنّي إِذ مَدَحتُكَ قَد زَنَيتُ