العَهدُ عَهدانِ فَعَهدُ اِمرِئٍ

يَأنَفُ أَن يَغدُرَ أَو يَنقُضا

A pact is of two kinds: the pact of a noble man

Who would be ashamed to break it or revoke it

وَعَهدُ ذي لَونَينِ مَلّالَةٍ

يوشِكُ إِن وُدَّكَ أَن يُبغِضا

And the fickle one's pact, like dyed silk

That fades with washing, and rapidly changes.

إِن لَم تَزُرهُ قالَ قَد مَلَّني

وَبِالحَرى إِن زُرتَ أَن يُعرِضا

If you do not visit him, he says, "you have wearied me"

And surely, if you do visit, he is apt to be cold

شيمَتُهُ مِثلُ الخِضابِ الَّذي

بَينا تَراهُ قانِياً إِذ نَضا

His nature is like the dyed garment

Which while you see it shining seems wetted through