1. My beloved friends have wandered in their turning away,
And I have tasted the bitterness of their avoidance.

2. O companion, if you gain closeness to them,
Tell those who shunned me when I spoke of them:

3. Above all people, truth is the best speech.
O you who awe me with your sternness,

4. And kindle my love with your distance,
Though you do not keep our companionship,

5. I love you, though in loving you lies my ruin,
Like a fire-worshipper in love with the flames that consume him.