غَزالٌ تَدَلُّلُهُ دَلَّهُ

عَلى قَتلِ مَن هُوَ عَبدٌ لَهُ

A gazelle whose charm led him

To kill one who was his loyal servant

وَذَلِكَ أَنِّيَ مَلَّكتُهُ

وِدادي وَمَلَّكَني وَصلَهُ

That is because I gave him

My love, and he gave me his bond

وَكُنّا نَروحُ وَنَغدو إِلى

هَوىً لا يُحَمِّلُنا ثِقلَهُ

We would go and return to

A passion that did not burden us

كَغُصنَينِ في دَوحَةٍ بَعضُنا

يَمُدُّ عَلى بَعضِنا ظِلَّهُ

Like two branches in an orchard, each

Extending its shade over the other

إِلى أَن أَمَرَّتهُ أَفعالَهُ

وَوَعَّرَ إِعجابُهُ سَهلَهُ

Until his actions commanded him

And his conceit marred his smoothness

فَخَلَّصتُ حَبلِيَ مِن حَبلِهِ

وَمَن مَلَّ صاحِبَهُ مَلَّهُ

So I freed my rope from his rope

For he who possesses his companion is possessed by him