باتَت لَعَينِكَ عَبرَةٌ وَسُجومُ

وَثَوَت بِقَلبِكَ زَفرَةٌ وَهُمومُ

Tears dwell in your eyes and sorrows in your heart,

Zaynab's specter still troubles me after joy has passed,

طَيفٌ لِزَينَبَ ما يَزالُ مُؤَرِّقي

بَعدَ الهُدُوِّ فَما يَكادُ يَريمُ

And when her image comes to me in dreams,

Her wounded image lacerates my infatuated heart.

وَإِذا تَعَرَّضَ في المَنامِ خَيالُها

نَكأَ الفُؤادَ خَيالُها المَحلومُ

Did you make your fault his and wrong him

When pleading your case, though the judge is unfair?

أَجَعَلتِ ذَنبَكِ ذَنبَهُ وَظَلَمتِهِ

عِندَ التَحاكُمِ وَالمُدِلُّ ظَلومُ

If you avoid sins, he will excuse you,

For the sick are pardoned, while the healthy are blamed.

وَلَئِن تَجَنَّيتِ الذُنوبَ فَإِنَّهُ

ذو الدَاءِ يَعذِرُ وَالصَحيحُ يَلومُ

I saw you one day, still newly wed,

With no shame or blame in your union.

وَلَقَد أَراكَ غَداةَ بِنتِ وَعَهدُكُم

في الوَصلِ لا حَرَجٌ وَلا مَذمومُ

Now experience and propriety admonish you

And decree against it, though love still binds you.

أَضحَت تُحَكِّمُكِ التَجارِبُ وَالنُهى

عَنهُ وَيَكفُلهُ بِكَ التَحكيمُ

The wise avoided the snares of love before,

And so escaped while I remain enthralled.

بَرَأَ الأُلى عَلِقو الحَبائِلَ قَبلَهُ

فَنَجوا وَأَصبَحَ في الوَثاقِ يَهيمُ

Time has moved on though I still recall our days together fondly,

For despite your coldness, Time remains generous.

وَلَقَد عَلى حَدَثَ الزَمانُ وَرَيبِهِ

وَعَلى جِفنائِكِ إِنَّهُ لكَريمُ

It moves on though I still recall our days together fondly,

Despite your coldness, Time remains generous.

يَبعى عَلى حَدَثِ الزَمانِ وَرَيبِهِ

وَعَلى جَفائِكِ إِنَّهُ لَكَريمُ

With youth, loves sworn in childhood weakened

ضَعَفَت مَعاهِدُ حُبِّهِنَّ مَعَ الصِبا

وَمَعَ الشَبابُ فَبِنَّ وَهوَ مُقيمُ

While he remained true though time marched on.

You chided him when you were well, but sick,

وَعَتِبتِ حينَ صَحِحتِ وَهوَ بِدائِهِ

شَتّانَ ذاكَ مُصَحَّحٌ وَسَقيمُ

How different the healthy are from the ill!

You pained him long but he returned with patience,

وَأَذَيتِهِ زَمَناً فَعادَ بِحِلمِهِ

إِنَّ المُحِبَّ عَنِ الحَبيبِ حَليمُ

For lovers bear much from their beloved.

You claimed reluctance while passion burned within,

وَزَعَمتِ أَنَّكِ تَبخَلينَ وَشَفَّهُ

شَوقٌ إِلَيكِ وَإِن بَخَلتِ أليمُ

Yearning for you though you are cold.