هذا حَديثي ولم أُمسِك لمعتَبَةٍ

يُطوى لها السِرُّ أو يُبدَى لها العَلَنُ

This is my talk, and I have not kept it for a beloved

To whom a secret would be folded or to whom fame would be displayed

ولا حكمتُ بِعِلمي في جَفائِكَ لي

وإن تَطاوَلَ بي في ضُرِّهِ الزَّمَنُ

And I have not judged with my knowledge your aloofness toward me

Even if time has stretched me with its injuries

بل قلتُ للنَّفسِ تَقلِيداً لِفعلكَ بي

لَو لم يَكُن حَسَناً لم يَرضَه حَسَنُ

Rather, I said to my soul in imitation of your action toward me

If it were not good, the good one would not have accepted it