لِحَلّاقِهِ إِذ جاءَ يَحلِقُ رَأسَهُ

لِحَلّاقِهِ إِذ جاءَ يَحلِقُ رَأسَهُ

أَشرت لَهُ كُنْ بِالحَبيبِ رَحيما

أَشرت لَهُ كُنْ بِالحَبيبِ رَحيما

When his barber came to shave his head,

When his barber came to cut his hair

I gestured to him: “Be gentle with the beloved,

I said to him: be kind to the beloved

وَلا تُرِهِ المِرآة ينظرُ وَجههُ

وَلا تُرِهِ المِرآة ينظرُ وَجههُ

فَيَعشَقُ مِنها نَفسه فيهيما

فَيَعشَقُ مِنها نَفسه فيهيما

And do not show him the mirror, lest he see his face

And do not let the mirror see his face

And fall in love with himself through it, then become love-crazed.”

Lest he fall in love with himself, besotted