رماكَ فأَصْماك اِمرؤٌ لم تكن له

رَمِيّاً ولم يخطرْ ببالك شأنُهُ

A man attacked you though he was nothing to you,

Neither did you attack him, nor did you care for him.

وَلَو أَنّني حاذرتُهُ لكُفِيتُهُ

وكم آمنٍ جانٍ عليه أمانُهُ

Had I been wary of him, I would have restrained him,

And how many a trusted friend turned into a foe!

فَإِنْ ساءَني منه الغداةَ مَغيبُهُ

لقد سرّني منه طويلاً غِيابُهُ

If he grieves me in the morn, his absence gives me joy at eve,

Indeed, his long absence brought me comfort.

وإنْ كنتُ مكلوماً بعقدِ ضميرهِ

فإنّ شفاءً ما يقول لسانُهُ

And if my conscience pains me for his sake,

His tongue's speech brings no cure.

وَللموتُ خيرٌ للفتى من مذلَّةٍ

تنمُّ عليه أوْ هَوانٌ يُهانُهُ

For a young man, death is better than disgrace

That grows on him, or the humiliation that dishonors him.

وإنْ كنتُ يوماً تائباً عن مودّة الر

رِجالِ فهذا وَقْتُهُ وأوانُهُ

And if one day I repent the love of fickle men,

Now is the time and moment for it.