ألا قل لسعدى ما لنا فيك من وطر

وما تطيبنا النجل من أعين البقر

Alas! Tell Sa'di I have no attachment to you,

And the eyes of cattle bring me no joy.

فإنا اقتصرنا بالذين تضايقت

عيونهم والله يجزي من اقتصر

For I make do with those whose eyes

Grew narrow, and God will reward the contented.

مليح ولكن عنده كل جفوة

ولم أر في الدنيا صفاء بلا كدر

Beautiful but with only disdain,

I've never known in this life clarity without murkiness.

ولم أنس إذ غازلته قرب روضة

إلى جنب حوض فيه للماء منحدر

Nor when I flirted with him near a garden

Next to a pond with a waterfall,

فقلت له جئني بورد وإنما

أردت به ورد الخدود وما شعر

Did I say to him, "Bring me a rose," when

All I wanted were rosy cheeks, though he did not perceive.

فقال انتظرني رجع طرف أجئ به

فقلت له هيهات ما في منتظر

He said, "Wait for me, I will return in a blink with one."

I said, "That's nonsense. I'm not waiting."

فقال ولا ورد سوى الخد حاضر

فقلت له إني قنعت بما حضر

He said, "There are no roses but the cheeks present."

I said to him, "I'm content with what's at hand."