خَدَعوها بِقَولِهِم حَسناءُ

وَالغَواني يَغُرُّهُنَّ الثَناءُ

They deceived her with their flattering words, the beauty.

And the wantons, praise makes them fall for it.

أَتُراها تَناسَت اِسمِيَ لَمّا

كَثُرَت في غَرامِها الأَسماءُ

Do you think she forgot my name when

Many names grew in her love?

إِن رَأَتني تَميلُ عَنّي كَأَن لَم

تَكُ بَيني وَبَينَها أَشياءُ

If she saw me, she would turn away as if

Nothing was between us.

نَظرَةٌ فَاِبتِسامَةٌ فَسَلامٌ

فَكَلامٌ فَمَوعِدٌ فَلِقاءُ

A look, then a smile, then a greeting,

Then talking, then a date, then a meeting.

يَومَ كُنّا وَلا تَسَل كَيفَ كُنّا

نَتَهادى مِنَ الهَوى ما نَشاءُ

The days when we were-and don't ask how we were-

We would indulge in love however we wanted.

وَعَلَينا مِنَ العَفافِ رَقيبٌ

تَعِبَت في مِراسِهِ الأَهواءُ

And we had a chaperone of virtue over us

Who grew tired watching over our passions.

جاذَبَتني ثَوبي العصِيَّ وَقالَت

أَنتُمُ الناسُ أَيُّها الشُعَراءُ

My chaste clothes pulled me and said

"You people, O poets!

فَاِتَّقوا اللَهَ في قُلوبِ العَذارى

فَالعَذارى قُلوبُهُنَّ هَواءُ

Fear God in the hearts of the chaste girls

For the hearts of maidens are air."

نَظرَةٌ فَاِبتِسامَةٌ فَسَلامٌ

فَكَلامٌ فَمَوعِدٌ فَلِقاءُ

A look, then a smile, then a greeting,

Then talking, then a date, then a meeting.

فَفِراقٌ يَكونُ فيهِ دَواءٌ

أَو فِراقٌ يَكونُ مِنهُ الداءُ

Then separation, in which there is

A cure, or from which comes illness.