قالَ لي أَحمَدٌ وَلَم يَدرِ ما بي

أَتُحِبُّ الغَداةَ عُتبَةَ حَقّا

Ahmad said to me, not knowing my inner thoughts,

"Do you truly love Utbah in the mornings?"

فَتَنَفَّستُ ثُمَّ قُلتُ نَعَم حُب

باً جَرى في العُروقِ عِقاً فَعِرقا

So I took a breath and said "Yes, it is a love

That has coursed through my veins and made me sweat.

يا لِدَمعي عَدِمتُهُ لَيسَ يَرقا

إِنَّما يَستَهِلُّ عَسقاً فَغَسقا

Oh, for my tears - I have not held them back,

As he sets out at dusk and night descends.

لَو تَجُسّينَ يا عُتَيبَةُ قَلبي

لَوَجَدتِ الفُؤادَ قَرحاً تَفَقّا

If you could see into my heart, Utbah,

You would find there an open wound, torn apart.

قَد لَعَمري مَلَّ الطَبيبُ وَمَلَّ ال

أَهلُ مِنّي مِمّا أُقاسي وَأَلقى

By my life, the doctor has grown weary, as have

My family, of what I suffer and endure.

لَيتَني مِتُّ فَاِستَرَحتُ فَإِنّي

أَبَداً ما حَيِيتُ مِنها مُلَقّى

Would that I die, and find some rest, for I

Will never be cured of her as long as I live.

أَنا عَبدٌ لَها مُقِرٌّ وَما تَم

لِكُ لي غَيرُها مِنَ الناسِ رِقّا

I am her slave, admitting and confessing - no

One else holds me in chains but her, no other.

ناصِحٌ مُشفِقٌ وَإِن كُنتُ ما أُر

زَقُ مِنها وَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ عِتقا

A counselor, compassionate, though I have not

Been granted freedom by her - and praise to God!"