قد أتيناك للسلام فصادفْ

نا على غير ما عهدنا الغلاما

We came to you for peace, but found

A boy not as we knew before,

وسألناه عنك فاعتلَّ بالنّو

م وما كان مُنْكراً أن تناما

And asked him after you, but he

Feigned sleep - no strange thing, to be sure!

غير أن الجواب كان جواباً

سيئاً يُعقِبُ الصديقَ احتشاما

Only, his answer was an answer

Ill-mannered, that should come after

وبصرفنا نوجِّه العُذرَ إلاّ

نفسَه دون هذه مَنْ أَلاما

A friend's respect. We turned and passed

Blame to himself, not her, the lass!