فحقَّ لمثلي أن يقولَ لمثلها

فديناكَ منْ ربعٍ وإن زدتنا كربَا

It is fitting that one like me should say to one like her

You owe us for a quarter, even if you have increased our distress

وكيفَ عرفنا رسمَ مَنْ لم يدعْ لنا

فؤاداً لعرفانِ الرسومِ ولا لُبّا

And how could we recognize the features of one who did not leave for us

A heart for knowing the features, nor intuition

كأنَّ نجومَ الليلِ خافتْ مغارَهُ

فمدَّتْ عليها مِنْ عجاجتِهِ حجبا

It is as though the stars of the night feared his cave

So it spread over them from its murkiness, veils