كل يحب ولا تصح مودة

إلا إذا ما أخلصتها المحنة

Every love is unsound unless purified by tribulation.

Had the assayers not helped it with fire,

لولا الصيارفة استعانت بالحمى

في نقدها خفيت عليها الفضة

Its silver would have remained hidden from them.

By God, I have never revealed a singular love,

والله ما أدلى بحب مفرد

لكن بحب مازجته حمية

But love alloyed with passion.

And indeed I was jealous to see

ولقد أغار على علائك أن أرى

يوماً وفي عنقي لغيرك منهة

One day, around another's neck, a charm.

And I wanted to turn desire away from myself out of jealousy,

وأرد عن نفسي النوال حمية

فيكم وفيٌّ وبي إليه ضرورة

Though you are faithful, and I am compelled to you.

And I blamed your generosity though the slanderers impugned you,

وعذرت جودك والوشات تصده

عني وبعد العذر مالي حجة

And after blaming, I had no argument.

More harmful than one who throws you aspersions is a sincere backbiter

وأضر من يرميك واش صادق

فيما يقول تجوز منه الكذبة

In what he says, though falsehood from him is allowable.

And indeed I fled - does one flee out of fear

ولقد فررت وهل يفر مخافة

من محسن من ليس منه زلة

Of a benefactor from whom no sin has occurred?

But a matter I wanted clear remained obscure

لكن خفى أمر أردت وضوحه

لمَّا خفى لتزول عني الظنة

When it was obscure, so suspicion would leave me.

And I wanted you to know, though my affair is in my hands,

واردت أن تدري وأمري في يدي

إن الوفاء على النوى لي شيمة

That fidelity to purpose is my quality.

And my knowledge of your worth remained

وبان معرفتي لقدرك ما بقى

معها لقدر سواك عندي قيمة

Such that no other's worth had value to me.

It is not that I wish to turn from you if I am hidden, and I have

لا عنك أرغب أن خفيت وليس لي

فيمن سواك وإن تودد رغبة

No desire in any but you, even if he is affectionate.

He turns his cheek towards the mirage, seeing in his eyes

أيدير ناحية السراب لحاظه

من بين عينيه البحار العذبة

The fresh waters between them.

That the waves strike both its edges?

أنا ذا على شط فكيف تيممى

والشط تضرب حافتيه الموجة

They said, "Come!" But I said, "None other than you

Made me stumble, because of your levity."

قالوا هلمّ فقلت غير محامل

غيري أزدهته لمن دعاه الخفة

I was not - though seventy years had trained me -

Of those who have every white old and fat.

ما كنت والسبعون قد حنكنني

ممن لديه كل بيضا شحمة

I deemed none of them worthy to satisfy my want,

And want makes lawful the forbidden.

لم استبح منهم يداً لضرورتي

ومع الضرورة تستباح الميتة

And I did this considering myself - I have no claim

But you have a boon upon me.

وفعلت ذا نظرا لنفسي ليس لي

لكن لكم فيه عليّ المنّة

And your call, "Come," so sometimes he stands for me

With a wedding night that would violate my honor.

ونداك معوان فمره يقوم لي

بأروش ما تجنى علي العفة

By God, without him my dwellings are so gloomy

Their emptiness is painful solitude.

والله أن منازلي لخلوها

منه لمظلمة عليّ الوحشة

So your call is like rain one time shunning us

And visiting times again, and we forget the time.

فنداك مثل الغيث يهجر مرة

ويزور مرات فننسى المرة

Upon you a thousand greetings - thus,

Thus, thus multiplied.

فعليك ألف تحية في مثلها

في مثلها في مثلها مضروبة