عاتَبْتُهُ فاسْتَطالا

وصَدَّ عنّي دلالا

I reproached him, so he was aloof,

And turned away from me disdainfully.

وهكذا مَن تعالَى

في حُسْنِه يتغالَى

Thus is he who is exalted in beauty -

He becomes arrogant in his perfection.

مولايَ قد ذُبْتُ صبراً

وكم تُذيب مطالا

My Master, my patience is melting away;

How much can reproaches melt?

ما كان عهدُك إِلّا

مثل السُّلُوِّ مُحَالا

Your habit was never

Like a firm pillar.

بَلْ كان زُورَ خضابٍ

نَما وفي الحالِ حَالا

Rather, it was false colour,

Sleeping, though seeming awake.

سَلَبْت حبَّة قلبي

وصُغْتُهَا لك خالا

You have stolen the core of my heart

And moulded it into fantasy.

فقد كَسَتْني نحولاً

كما كَسَتْكَ جمالا

So leanness has clothed me

As beauty once clothed you.

يا كاملاً وَجهُهُ عل

لَمَ البدور الكمالا

O perfect of face but blemished by injustice,

Why have you rejected perfection?

يا أَحسنَ النّاس وجهاً

صِلْ أَسْوأ النّاسِ حالا

O fairest of men in face,

Show kindness to the worst in state!

حاشا جَمالكَ مِن أَن

يَستَقبِحَ الإِجمالا

Your beauty is far above

Rejecting the plea of the beseecher.

لَم أَحظَ مِنكَ بِسُؤلٍ

وَقَد فَنيت سُؤالا

I have gained nothing from you by asking,

Though asking has wearied me.

أَما تعلَّمْتَ شَيئاً

مِنَ الكلام سِوَى لا

Have you learned nothing

But the word "no" from speech?