إِذا رَآني حَبيبي كانَ يَكرَهُني

يَلوحُ في وَجهِهِ منّي كراهاتُ

When my beloved saw me, he would abhor me

His face showed disgust toward me openly

صَنعت مِن ماءِ حسنٍ ما غَسلت بِهِ

وَجهي وَقَد صارَ تَعلوهُ نضاراتُ

I made from goodly water what I washed my face with

And it became adorned with radiance and clarity

صقَلَته صَقلَ ذي جدّ وَمُجتَهدٍ

حَتّى صَفا وَبَدَت فيهِ اِستِناراتُ

I polished it with diligence and hard effort

Until it became pure and illumination shone free

فَصارَ إِن شامَهُ حِبِّي يدم نَظراً

فيهِ وَلَيسَ لَهُ عَنهُ اِلتِفاتاتُ

So if my beloved glimpsed it, his gaze would linger

Unable to look away, captivated utterly

بِهِ يَرى الشّمسَ تَبدو وَهيَ مُزهِرَة

وَالبدرُ يَزهو وَلَم تَحتَطهُ هالاتُ

In it he saw the sun rise in full flourish

The moon's beauty unveiled, bright as can be

وَقالَ لي هَذِه المِرآةُ نادِرَةٌ

أَظنُّ ما هَذِهِ المِرآةُ مِرآةُ

And it said to me “This mirror is so rare”

I thought “This is no mirror, but reality”