تَناءَيتُ عَنكُم فَحُلَّت عُرا

وَضاعَت عُهودٌ عَلى ما أَرى

I turned away from you, so the bond was untied,

And pledges were lost, as I see.

وَأَصبَحَ حَبلُ اِتِّصالي بِكُم

كَخَيطِ الغَزالَةِ بَعدَ النَوى

My communication cord with you

Became like a gazelle’s thread after weaning.

وَقَد زالَ ما كانَ مِن أُلفَةٍ

وَوُدٍّ زَوالَ شِهابِ الدُجى

What was of intimacy and affection

Vanished like the fading of dusk’s meteor.

كَأَنَّ بَقاءَ الوَفا بَينَكُم

وَبَيني بَقاءُ حَبابِ الحَيا

As if the permanence of loyalty between you

And me is the permanence of mirage.

سَكَنتُ إِلَيكُم وَلَم تَسكُنوا

إِلَيَّ وَقَد كُنتُ نِعمَ الفَتى

I settled with you, but you did not settle with me

While I was a most excellent lad.

وَنَفسي فَريقانِ هَذا بِهِ

مَزَجتُ الوَفاءَ وَذاكَ النَدى

And my soul has two groups: In this one

I mixed loyalty, in that coquetry.

أَصَبتُم تُراثاً وَأَلهاكُمُ ال

تَكاثُرُ عَنّا فَسُرَّ العِدا

You gained an inheritance, and were distracted

From me by seeking increase, so the enemies rejoiced.

وَمَن كانَ يُنسيهِ إِثراؤُهُ

صَديقَ الخَصاصَةِ لا يُصطَفى

Whose wealth makes him forget

A friend of meager means is not to be chosen.