وبيضاء العَوارِض قابلتْها

شَبيهتُها السَّميةُ من مَشيِبي

Her cheeks white as the shining moon,

Met by one whose hair was touched with grey like mine,

فظَلَّت لا تَرُدّ الطَّرْفَ عنْها

تلاحظُها ملاحظةَ المُريب

She glanced not his way but stared in bitter doubt,

As if my presence caused her great dismay.

وقالتْ لي أَشِبتَ فقلتُ كلا

ولكنْ هذِه زَبَدُ الخُطوب

When she exclaimed, “You've aged!” I said “Not I,

This is but the dust of life’s long road.”

وهَجْرُك آكَدُ الأسبابِ فيها

فمُوجِبها ذنُوبك لا ذنوبِي

Your abandonment has caused the most hurt,

Your sins, not mine, have bred this distance curst.

فقالت لي هجرتُك لا لعيبٍ

فكيف على الكثير منَ العيوب

Said she, “I did not leave for any fault.”

How can you bear this burden of self-blame?