كَسيت وَلَم املك سَواداً وَتَحتَهُ

كَسيت وَلَم املك سَواداً وَتَحتَهُ

قَميصُ من القوهي بيض بنائِقه

قَميصُ من القوهي بيض بنائِقه

I was clad in black, though I owned no black attire; and underneath it

I was clothed in blackness beyond my control, and beneath it

was a shirt of Qūhī cloth, its gussets white.

is a shirt of Qūhī cloth, its panels white.

وَما ضَرَّ أَثوابي سَوادي وَإِنَّني

وَما ضَرَّ أَثوابي سَوادي وَإِنَّني

لكا لمسك لا يَسلو عَن المِسكِ ذائِقه

لكا لمسك لا يَسلو عَن المِسكِ ذائِقه

My blackness did no harm to my clothes; indeed, I

And my blackness has not harmed my garments, and indeed I

am like musk—whoever savors musk never turns from it.

am like musk: whoever tastes it never loses his longing for musk.

وَلا خَير في وُدِّ امرىء مُتَكارِه

وَلا خَير في وُدِّ امرىء مُتَكارِه

عَلَيكَ وَلا في صاحِبِ لا تُوافِقُه

عَلَيكَ وَلا في صاحِبِ لا تُوافِقُه

There is no good in the affection of a man who gives it grudgingly

And there is no good in the affection of a man who feels aversion

to you, nor in a companion with whom you are not in accord.

toward you, nor in a companion with whom you do not agree.

إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَبذُل من الوُدِّ مِثلُهُ

إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَبذُل من الوُدِّ مِثلُهُ

بِعاقِبَة فَاِعلَم بِأَنَّني مُفارِقُه

بِعاقِبَة فَاِعلَم بِأَنَّني مُفارِقُه

If a man does not offer affection equal to yours,

If a man does not offer affection in equal measure

then in the end, know that I shall part from him.

in due course, then know that I shall part from him.

فَان شِئتَ فَاِرفُضهُ فَلا خَير عِندَهُ

فَان شِئتَ فَاِرفُضهُ فَلا خَير عِندَهُ

وَإِن شِئتَ فَاِجعَلهُ خَليلا تصادِقه

وَإِن شِئتَ فَاِجعَلهُ خَليلا تصادِقه

If you wish, cast him off—for no good is to be found with him;

So, if you wish, reject him, for there is no good in him;

or, if you wish, make him a bosom friend and meet him in friendship.

and if you wish, make him a close friend and befriend him.