قل للفتى عِمْرانَ والرجل الذي

ما زال يحظف صحبتي واخائي

Tell the young man ‘Imran and the man who

Has continued to seek my companionship and brotherhood

حاشاك يا عمرانُ تنقض صحبتي

وتضيعُ عهدَن محَبتي ووفائي

Far be it from you, O ‘Imran, to break off our companionship

And let our covenant of love and loyalty be lost

ووعدَتني بالخير شهراً كاملاً

وقطعتَ بعد الشهر حبلَ رجائي

You promised me good for a full month

And after the month you cut off the rope of my hope

وبعثتَ نحوي شاعراً بمعاذرٍ

في رحْمِ أختِ الشعر والشعراء

And you sent towards me a poet with excuses

In the womb of the sister of poetry and poets

والله ما يثنُون عنك بمثل مَا

أثني ولا يهجون مِثلَ هجائي

By God, they do not praise you as I praise

Nor do they censure as I censure you