لَوَتْ وَجهَها عَن شيبِ رَأسي وإنّها

لَوتْ عن بياضٍ أبيضاً لونُهُ غَضا

If she would turn away from the gray hairs of my head, she whose face

Is fairer than the fairest white.

وَلو أَنصفتْ ما أعرضتْ عن شبيهها

ولا أبْدَلَتْهُ من محبّتِهِ بُغضا

If she were just, she would not turn away from one like her.

She would not change her love for me into hate.

وأغضيتُ عنها والبلابل في الحشا

ومن كان مثلِي حاملاً للهوى أغضى

I turn away from her while nightingales sing in the thickets,

And one who bears love like mine turns away.

وما كنتُ أرضى بالرّضا قبل حبّها

فصيّرنِي بالشيءِ لم أرضه أرضى

I was not pleased with acceptance before loving her.

Make me pleased with that which did not please me.