واسْتَمِعْها أَرَقَّ مِنْ وَرَقِ الوَّرْ

دِ وأَنْدَى مِنْ ياسَمينٍ مُنَدّى

Listen to it, softer than rose petals

And more dewy than jasmine in bloom,

بِمَعانٍ لَوْ أَنَّهُنَّ خُدُودٌ

كُنَّ في الحُسْنِ جُلَّناراً وَوَرْدَا

With meanings that, were they cheeks,

Would be in beauty a narcissus and a rose,

لَوْ هَجَوْنا بِها المَنونَ لَدَلَّتْ

أَوْ مَدَحْنا بِها الزَّمانَ لأَجْدى

Were we to satirize oblivion with them it would melt away

Or were we to praise time with them it would be kinder.