ما هاجَني البارِقُ مِن بارِقٍ

يَوماً وَلا هَزَّ لِهَزّانِ

No lightning ever struck me, nor storm shook me,

On any day, nor did any shaker shake me.

حَربَةُ زانٍ بِفُؤادِ الفَتى

خَيرٌ لَهُ مِن خَربَةِ الزاني

The chastity of the young man's heart

Is better for him than the corruption of the adulterer.

لا أَشرَبُ الرَاحَ وَلَو

ضُمِّنَت ذَهابَ لَوعاتي وَأَحزاني

I do not drink wine, even if

It takes away the anguish and sorrows of my soul,

مُخَفِّفاً ميزانَ حِلمي بِها

كَأَنَّني ما خَفَّ ميزاني

Lessening the balance of my patience with it,

As if my balance had never been diminished.

عُمرٌ مَضى لا كانَ مِن ذاهِبٍ

جَزَّيتُهُ شَرّاً وَجَزّاني

A life has passed, that was not of one who passes away,

I dealt with it badly, and it dealt badly with me.

أُجامِلُ الناسَ وَلَو أَنَّني

كَشَفتُ ما في السِرِّ أَخزاني

I indulge people, even though if

I revealed what was secret, it would shame me.

أَسيتُ مِن نَقصي وَلَكِنَّ ما

يَظهَرُ مِن غَيرِيَ عَزّاني

I despaired of my own defects, but what

Appears in others did not make me desperate.