ما هَوىً إِلّا لَهُ سَبَبُ

يَبتَدي مِنهُ وَيَنشَعِبُ

Every passion has a cause,

No passion exists but that it has a cause,

From which it originates and branches out.

From which it begins and branches forth.

فَتَنَت قَلبي مُحَجَّبَةٌ

وَجهُها بِالحُسنِ مُنتَقِبُ

My heart was tempted by a veiled one,

A secluded beauty has captivated my heart,

Her face covered with beauty.

Her face veiled by its own loveliness.

حَلِيَت وَالحُسنُ تَأخُذُهُ

تَنتَقي مِنهُ وَتَنتَخِبُ

She came adorned with beauty, taking it,

She adorned herself, taking hold of beauty,

Choosing the best of it.

Selecting from it and choosing the best.

فَاِكتَسَت مِنهُ طَرائِفَهُ

وَاِستَزادَت فَضلَ ما تَهِبُ

She took from it subtle graces,

So she clothed herself in its rarest charms,

And exceeded in what it gives.

And sought to increase the bounty she bestows.

فَهيَ لَو صَيَّرَت فيهِ لَها

عَودَةً لَم يَثنِها أَرَبُ

If she tried with it to return to it,

So that were she to seek a return to it,

No shame would deter her.

No want would turn her away.

صارَ جِدّاً ما مَزَحتُ بِهِ

رُبَّ جِدٍّ جَرَّهُ اللَعِبُ

What she jested with in earnest

That which I began in jest has turned to earnest,

Many an earnest thing is caused by play.

For often does play draw forth the serious.