تَخَوَّفَ مِنها أَن يَقولَ مَتى الوَعدُ

وَلَيسَ لَها بِالوَعدِ مُذ وَعَدَت عَهدُ

He feared that she might ask when his promise would come true,

Yet she had no promise from him since the day she was wed.

وَلا عِندَهُم عِلمٌ بِما في فُؤادِهِ

وَلا عِندَها مِن أَمرِهِ ما لَها عِندُ

They knew not what was in his heart,

Nor did she know aught of his intentions toward her.

وَكُلُّ عِتابٍ بَينَ وُدَّينِ داخِلٌ

وَإِلّا فَلا تَتعَب فَما يَأذَنُ الوُدُّ

Every reproach between lovers has a place,

Else, do not weary yourself, for affection allows no disfavor.

وَإِن كانَ طَعمُ العَتبِ ذا حَنظَلِيَّةٍ

فَصَبراً عَلى مُرٍّ عَواقِبُهُ الشَهدُ

And if the taste of reproach be bitter,

Then patience over bitterness whose end is sweet.

وَكَم لَيلَةٍ قَد مَرَّ عَتبي بِسَمعِها

فَجاوَرَ عِقداً كانَ في نَحرِها عِقدُ

How many a night has my reproach passed by her hearing,

Yet it sat close by a knot that was in her throat.

وَلَمّا بَكَت عَيني لَها وَتَبَسَّمَت

تَكاثَرَ فيها بَينَنا الشَرحُ وَالسَردُ

And when my eye wept for her and she smiled,

Converse and intimacy multiplied between us.

وَظاهَرَها آثارُ كَونِكَ في الحَشا

بِأَن قَد بَدا في ماءِ وَجنَتِكَ الوَقدُ

The marks of your being in the wasteland were evident:

For the branding iron showed in the water of your cheeks.

وَإِلّا فَإِنَّ الوَردَ فيهِ مَلالَةٌ

كَما عَهِدوا مِنهُ وَما مَلَّ ذا الوَردُ

Else the roses therein are tedious,

As they have known them, nor are those roses sated.

لَها خُلُقٌ ما فيهِ لِلحَمدِ مَوضِعٌ

وَلِلوَجهِ مِنها قُلْ هُوَ اللَهُ وَالحَمدُ

She has a nature that leaves no room for praise,

And say only: “God is Most Great and All Praise is His.”