وَحَنَّت قُلوصي بَعدَ هُدءِ صَبابَةٍ

فَيا رَوعَةً ما راعَ قَلبي حَنينُها

My heart yearned after the calm of youth was past,

Oh, the anguish my heart knew from its longing!

فَقُلتُ لَها صَبراً فَكُلُّ قَرينَةٍ

مُفارِقُها لا بُدَّ يَوماً قَرينُها

I told it, "Patience," for every companion,

Must one day leave their companion.

أَرى سَبعَةً يَسعَونَ لِلوَصلِ كُلُّهُم

لَهُ عِندَ لَيلى دَينَةٌ يَستَدينُها

I saw seven men striving for union with her,

Each one in debt to Layla, begging her favors.

فَأَلقَيتُ سَهمي وَسطَهُم حينَ أَوخَشوا

فَما صارَ لي مِن ذاكَ إِلّا ثَمينُها

I cast my arrow among them when they wavered,

But from that I earned only her disdain.

وَكُنتُ عَزوفَ النَفسِ أَشنَأَ أَن أَرى

عَلى الشِركِ مِن وَرهاءَ طَوعٌ قَرينُها

My spirit recoiled from sharing her;

I wished to see obedience to me alone.

فَيَوماً تَراها بِالعُهودِ وَفيَّةً

وَيَوماً عَلى دينِ اِبنِ خاقانَ دينُها

One day she is faithful to her vows,

Another, she follows the creed of Ibn Khagan.

يَداً بِيَدٍ مَن جاءَ بِالعَينِ مِنهُمُ

وَمَن لَم يَجِئ بِالعَينِ حيزَت رُهونُها

Hand in hand, whoever brought her gifts,

Whoever brought no gift was refused her presence.