سواي الذي ترمي المطامع نبله

وغيري من بالحرص يسهل ذله

The one whom desires aim at his nobility

While others because of greed make themselves abject

ولو كنت ممن تقبل الضيم نفسه

لجنبت هجري من منى النفس وصله

Had I been of those who accept wronging themselves

I would have avoided estranging myself from the intimacy my soul desires

هوى سمت قلبي أن يطاوع حكمه

فبادرني قبل العواذل عذله

Passion inclined my heart to obey its rule

So precede me before blamers blame me

توهمني كالعاشقين يروعني

تجنبه أو يغتال جدي هزله

Make me fancy like lovers, frighten me

Avoid him or jesting would ruin my seriousness

وإني لألقاه بسلوةِ زاهدٍ

وفي يده عقد الفؤاد وحله

Yet I meet him with a hermit's serenity

Though in his hand is the knot of my heart and its resolution

أصارف طرفي في تأمل حسنه

واسخط ما يرضي سواي أقله

I divert my eyes contemplating his beauty

And dislike what pleases anyone else the least

ولا خير فيمن يملك الحب رأيه

وإن ملك القلب المتيم حبله

No good is in one passion rules his opinion

Even if the yearning heart possesses its rope