إِذا كانَ مَدحي فيكُمُ بِقَصيدَتي

وَلِلَّهِ ما هاجَت لِتونِسَ أَوبَتي

If my praise of you in my poem

By Allah, it was not meant to appease or flatter

قَد أَورَثَني صَدا وَبُعداً وَجَفوَةً

فَإِنِّي راضٍ عَنكُمُ بِالسَلامَة

It has led me to distance, aloofness and coldness

Yet I am content with you in safety

وَيُقنِعُني أَنّي أَموتُ بِهَجرِكُم

سَعيداً شَهيداً لا أُبالي بِمِيتَتي

It satisfies me to die estranged from you

Happy, a martyr, unconcerned with my death

وَإِن كانَ مَرضاكُم أَموتُ صَبابَةً

بِهَجرِكُمُ أَنجِز بِحَقِّكَ قِتلَتي

And if your approval means I die impetuously

In estrangement from you, I fulfill my destiny

وَإِن كانَ لي ذَنبٌ تَعَمَّدتُ فِعلَهُ

فَلي شُفَعاءٌ مِنكُمُ بِالمَحَبَّةِ

If I have intentionally committed a sin

I have intercessors among you in love

وَإِن كُنتَ تَرضى بِالوَسيلَةِ إِنَّني

دَخَلتُ حِمى جاهٍ طَويلِ الذؤابَةِ

If you accept mediation, I have entered

The sanctuary of great, longstanding affection

وَإِلّا بِحَقِّ الفاءِ وَالطاءِ بَعدَها

وَحَقِّكَ مَعها أَن تَمُنّ بِعَطفَةِ

Otherwise, by the right of loyalty after intimacy

And your right with it to show kindness

أَيا سالِبَ الأَرواحِ قَد جِئتَ شاكياً

إِلَيهِ وَمِنهُ هَل تُزيلُ شَكيَّتي

O taker of souls, you have come complaining

To him, yet does he remove my complaint?

وَتَقضي عَلَيكَ مِنكَ عَدلاً بِلا رُشىً

وَإِن كنتَ تَقضي لي عَلَيكَ بِقُبلَةِ

And judge for you against yourself without bribery

And if you judge for me a kiss from you

فَيا حَبَّذا الحُكمُ المُطاعُ وَعَزّما

إِذا كانَ في الجِيدِ الصَقيلِ كَفِضةِ

Blessed is the obeyed judgment and resolve

If it is from the polished, smooth cheek