أَبكي إِلى الشَرقِ إِن كانَت مَنازِلُهُم

مِمّا يَلي الغَربَ خوفَ القيلِ وَالقالِ

I weep to the East, if their dwellings are

To the West of mine, in fear of slander and gossip.

أَقولُ بِالخَدِّ خالٌ حينَ أَنعَتُها

خَوفَ الوُشاةِ وَما بِالخَدِّ مِن خالِ

I talk of a mole on the cheek, when I lament her,

In fear of the backbiters - though no mole is on the cheek at all.

يا أَغفَلَ الناسِ عَمّا بي وَأَعلَمَهُم

بِما يُداوى بِهِ حُزني وَبَلبالي

O most heedless of people of my love, yet most aware

of how to cure my sadness and distress!

لَسنا وَإِن كُنتَ تَجفونا وَتَقطَعُنا

بِتارِكيكَ عَلى حالٍ مِنَ الحالِ

Though you shun us and sever us,

We are unchanged, however you leave us.