روحي تقول وقد جاءت رسائلكم

هل لي إلى الوصل من عقبى أرجيها

My soul says, as your missives have arrived:

Is there any way for me to attain union that I may hope for?

ولم أكن قبلها بالشوق أقتلها

إلا لعلمي بأن الشوق يحييها

Before them, I was not killing myself with yearning,

Save for my knowledge that yearning gives it life.

ولي دموع بسري للورى نطقت

فأطلعت قلبها للناس من فيها

And I have tears, kept hidden from mankind, that have spoken

And so revealed to people what was within my heart -

كالنار لونا وإحراقا فوردتها

تجني على الكف إن أهويت تجنيها

Like fire in hue and burning, so I have plucked them

And they sear my palm if I attempt to pluck them.