وقد يلينُ ببعض القولِ يبذلهُ

وقد يلينُ ببعض القولِ يبذلهُ

والوصلُ في وزرٍ صعبٌ مراقيه

والوصلُ في وزرٍ صعبٌ مراقيه

And he may soften with some words he offers,

He may soften with some words he offers

Yet union lies in a mountain refuge whose ascents are difficult.

Yet reunion weighs heavy on the climber

فالخيزرانُ منيعٌ منك مكسرهُ

فالخيزرانُ منيعٌ منك مكسرهُ

وقد يرى ليناً في كف لاويه

وقد يرى ليناً في كف لاويه

For bamboo resists being broken by you,

So the rock remains unbroken by you

Though it may be seen pliant in the palm of one bending it.

And he may see softness in hands that stroke

فتلك هم فؤادٍ أنت صاحبهُ

فتلك هم فؤادٍ أنت صاحبهُ

لو أنها مرةً كانت تجازيه

لو أنها مرةً كانت تجازيه

So she is the sorrow of a heart you possess—

For such is a heart whose lord you are

If only she had once rewarded it!

If only it would once repay him

وإن في طول ما ضنت عليه لما

وإن في طول ما ضنت عليه لما

يسليه لو أن شيئاً كان يسليه

يسليه لو أن شيئاً كان يسليه

And in her prolonged withholding from it there is indeed something

And in all the time you were mean to him

To console it—if anything could console it.

Nothing can console him, if anything could console him