أَبلى الهَوى أَسَفاً يَومَ النَوى بَدَني

وَفَرَّقَ الهَجرُ بَينَ الجَفنِ وَالوَسَنِ

My body wasted away the day I resolved to love

Passion has worn out my body with grief on the day of departure,

And separation parted eyelid from earlobe

And abandonment has forced a parting between my eyelids and sleep.

روحٌ تَرَدَّدُ في مِثلِ الخِلالِ إِذا

أَطارَتِ الريحُ عَنهُ الثَوبَ لَم يَبِنِ

A spirit wavering like a wraith when

A spirit fluttering within a shape as slender as a splinter,

The wind strips its shroud and reveals nothing

Which, if the wind blew its garment off, would not be visible.

كَفى بِجِسمي نُحولاً أَنَّني رَجُلٌ

لَولا مُخاطَبَتي إِيّاكَ لَم تَرَني

My body is gaunt enough without my being a man

It suffices for my body’s frailty that I am a man,

If I had not addressed you, you'd not have seen me

Who, were it not for my addressing you, you would not see.