تَوسّطَ بينَ الشمسِ والبدر سالمٌ

فَقلتُ لَهُم إنّي توسّطه أرضى

Salem mediated between the sun and the moon

So I told them that I was pleased with his mediation

وَلَو غيرهُ رامَ التوسّط بيننا

خَشينا خسوفاً إِذ حَكى ثقلهُ الأَرضا

And had another tried to mediate between us

We would have feared an eclipse, as his gravity burdened the earth

أُحاشيكَ عَن نهبِ الحجى ومن الّذي

يَمدّ يداً للبرقِ كَي يسرقَ الومضا

I caution you against stealing veils and who

Could extend a hand to lightning to steal its flash

نَعَم إنّني وَجّهت مرآة فكرتي

لِشمسكَ فَاِستنزلتُ صورتها فَرضا

Yes, I directed my mind’s mirror

To your sun and drew its image to please

يَلومُونَني في سالمٍ وأَلومُهم

وَجِلدةُ بينَ العينِ والأنفِ سالمُ

They blame me for Salem and I blame them

While the skin between the eye and the nose is safe