سَأَلَ اللوى وَسُؤالُهُ تَعليلُ

وَمِنَ المُحالِ بِأَن يُجيبَ مَحيلُ

Love inquired, and its question was a plea,

Yet it is impossible that the aloof would answer.

يا دارُ جُهدُ جُفونِنا وَضُلوعِنا

لَكِ بِالبُكاءِ وَبِالأَسى مَبذولُ

O abode, our eyelids and ribs have strived,

For you, with weeping and sorrow we are spent.

زُرَّت عَلَيهِ مِنَ الرِياضِ مَلابِسٌ

خَيطُ الغَمامِ لِوَشيِها مُحلولُ

It was clothed with gowns from meadows,

The thread of clouds its garment had unknit.

رَقَّ العَذولُ لِما رَأى مِن حالَتي

فَاليَومَ عادَ إِلَيهِ وَهوَ رَسولُ

My companion grieved at my state,

So today he returned as messenger.

أَو ما تَراني حامِلاً مِن بَعدِهِ

ثِقَلَ الأَسى فَكَأَنَّني مَحمولُ

Or do you not see me, after him, carrying

The weight of sorrow, as if I were borne?

مَن لي بِخَطٍّ بِالفَضائِلِ عارِفٍ

فَيَحِقُّ حينَئِذٍ لِيَ التَفضيلُ

If only I had a letter praising virtues,

Then the preference would rightly be mine.

اَغمِد لِسانَكَ أَن يَقولَ فَإِنَّهُ

عَضبٌ أَحاطَ بِجانِبَيهِ فُلولُ

Sheathe your tongue from speaking, for it

Encompasses fury, with warriors in its flanks.

وَاِمنَعهُ مِن نَفَثاتِهِ وَكَفى بِها

فَمِنَ الكَلامِ أَسِنَّةٌ وَنُصولُ

And prevent it from its outbursts, and suffice it

With them, for in speech are sharp swords and blades.

كَفِّل زَمانَكَ أَن يُغَيِّرَ كُلَّ ما

أَنكَرتَهُ فَكَفاكَ مِنهُ كَفيلُ

Entrust your time to change all that

You disliked, for that is guarantor enough.