زُفَّت إِلَيكَ وَلَستَ مِن أَكفائِها

كَالشَّمسِ طالِعَةً عَلَى حِربائِها

She was brought to you though she was not your match,

Like the rising sun beaming on its rubble.

بَيضاءُ أَشرَقَ وَجهُها في فَرعِها

حَتّى عَرَفتَ صَباحَها بِمَسائِها

Her white face shone in her boudoir

Until you knew her morning by her evening.

لَو كانَ صَرفُ الدَّهرِ عِندَكَ حاضِراً

نَثَرَ الخُطوبَ عَلَيكَ وَقتَ جَلائِها

Had the turns of fate been present with you

It would have showered favors on you in her prime.

رَفَعَت سُتُورَكَ لِلهَناء بِأَخذِها

وَالحُسنُ قَبلَكَ جالِسٌ لِعَزائِها

She lifted your veils in her merry taking,

While beauty sat next to you lamenting its glory.

ما جَادَتِ الدُّنيا عَلَيكَ بِمِثلِها

إِلَّا لِيَحمَدَ بُخلَها بِسَخائِها

The world was never so generous to you as with her,

Save to praise its stinginess by its generosity.