وَمَسمَعٍ تَحلو اِجتِماعاتُنا

حَتّى إِذا وافى غَدَت مُرَّه

With eager ears our meetings are so sweet,

Until tomorrow comes with cares replete;

نَعجَبُ مِن كَثرَةِ إِعجابِهِ

وَقدرُهُ أَهوَنُ مِن بَعرَه

Then we wonder that we thought so much of it,

And hold its worth less than an onion's shoot;

إِذا هَرَبنا مِن مُقاساتِهِ

يَجيئُنا بِالخَيطِ وَالمَغرَه

If from its irksomeness we try to flee,

It draws us back with thread and with a clew.