لَعَلَّ بَغيضَ العَذلِ يُحدِثُ لي ذِكرى

حَبيبٍ حَبيبِ الذِكرِ عِندي إِذا مَرّا

Perhaps the grievous separation will bring back memories

Of a beloved, beloved in my thoughts whenever we met

كَأَنَّ جُفوني السُحبُ وَالقَطرُ أَدمُعي

وَقَد أَمطَرَت فِكري فَقَد أَنبَتَ الشِعرا

As though my eyelids were clouds and my tears rain

And my thoughts poured rain and so poetry sprouted

وَعَرَّفَني قَدري الزَمانُ مُطالِباً

بِوِترِ زَمانٍ ما عَرَفتُ لَهُ قَدرا

And fate made me learn from time

The value of an era I had not known before