قَالَت لِطَيفِ خَيالٍ زارَني ومَضى

صِف ما رأَيت ولا تُنقِص ولا تزدِ

She said, "A gentle phantom visited me and vanished."

Describe what you saw, omit nothing, add nothing.

فقالَ أبصرتهُ لو ماتَ من ظمأً

وقُلتِ قِف عن ورُودِ الماءِ لا يَرِدِ

He said, "I saw him; were he to die of thirst

I would say, 'Stop this water from flowing through!'"

قالت صَدَقتَ الوفا في الحُبِّ عادَتُهُ

يا بَردَ ذاكَ الذي قالَت على كَبِدي

She said, "You speak truly of love’s habit—

Oh, the coldness of her words upon my heart!"