لَرَدَّدتُ العِتابَ عَلَيكَ حَتّى

سَئِمتُ وَآخِرُ الوُدِّ العِتابُ

I repeatedly reproached you

Until I grew weary, and reproof is the end of love.

فَلَم أُبعِدكَ مِن أَدَبٍ وَلَكِن

شِهابٌ في التَخَلُّفِ ما شِهابُ

Yet I did not banish you from courtesy, but

A shooting star in being left behind is no shooting star.

وَحانَ عَلَيكَ سُخطي حينَ تَغدو

بِعِرضٍ لَيسَ تَقتُلُهُ الكِلابُ

And my anger turned against you when you went

With a reputation, which even dogs do not kill,

وَهَل يَشفي السِبابُ مِنِ اِبنِ لُؤمٍ

دَنيءٍ لَيسَ يُؤلِمُهُ السِبابُ

Can abuse heal the son of a base woman

Of no account, whom abuse does not hurt?

فَعُمرانُ اِستِهِ جَمٌّ وَلَكِن

لَهُ قُدّامَهُ أَيرٌ خَرابُ

So his life is a blot, but

Ahead of him is a ruinous site.