يَقولُ إِذا رَآني ما دَهاهُ

كَأَنَّ بِمُهجَتي أَحَداً سِواهُ

He says, when he sees me, as if

None but he stirs my affections.

وَما أَدراهُ بِالشَّكوى وَلكِن

تَدَلُّلُهُ يُؤَيِّدُهُ صِباهُ

Yet he knows not if I complain,

Though my devotion proves his reign.

وَقالوا هَل جَنى شَيئاً عَلَيهِ

هِلالُ الأُفقِ يَمنَحُهُ قِلاهُ

They said, “Has the new moon eclipsed him?

The slender crescent denies him her light.”

جَفاهُ فَهوَ لا يَرنو إِلَيهِ

فَقُلتُ لَهُم لأَمر ما جَفاهُ

He is unkind, and cares not for me.

I said to them, “Not so; he shuns me

مَخافَةَ أَن يَقُولَ الصَّبُّ يَوماً

نَعَم وَيَرى الهِلالَ كَما أَراهُ

Lest the youth should say, when he sees

The new moon, “Yes, just as I see her.”