وعاذلةٍ تلوم على اصطفائي

غلاماً واضحاً مثل المهاةِ

And a blamer blames me for my choice,

A scolding woman blames me for choosing

Of a handsome, brilliant lad like a blade unsheathed,

A radiant lad, fair as the wild oryx;

وقالت قد حُرِمتَ ولم توفّق

لطيبِ هوى وصالِ الغانيات

And she said “You are deprived and unsuccessful

She said, "You are deprived and have failed

In attaining the fragrance of union with singers.”

To find the sweet love of union with women."

فقلتُ لها جهلتِ فليس مثلي

يخادع نفسه بالترّهاتِ

So I said to her “You are ignorant, I am not like

I answered her, "You are ignorant; for one like me

Those who deceive themselves with nonsense.”

Does not delude himself with trifling lies.

أأختارُ البحارَ على البراري

وحيتاناً على ظبي الفلاةِ

“Should I choose the seas over the land,

Shall I choose the seas over the dry lands,

And sea monsters over gazelles of the plain?”

And whales over the gazelle of the wilderness?

دعيني لا تلوميني فإنّي

على ما تكرهينَ إلى المماتِ

“Leave me be, do not blame me, for I

Leave me be, do not blame me, for I remain

Am heading towards what you hate until death.”

Devoted to what you detest until death.

بذا أوصى كتابُ اللَه فينا

بتفضيلِ البنين على البناتِ

“This is what the Book of God enjoined upon us,

With this the Book of God has charged us,

To prefer sons over daughters.”

In preferring sons over daughters."