وَأغيَد كُنت أَعشقهُ قَديماً

وَلَم أَكُ في تَقلّبه عَليما

Once I loved him, long ago

Yet knew not of his fickleness.

عَهدت بِوجهِهِ صُبحاً بَسيماً

غَدا لَمّا اِلتَحى لَيلاً بَهيما

I saw his face, one morn so fair—

The next, when night had come, a beast.

وَكان كَأَنَّهُ قَمَر مُنيرُ

فَلمّا لَم يَكُن أَسف عَلَيهِ

He shone at first, bright like the moon

But when he cared not for his love

بِعاشقه وَلا ميل إِلَيهِ

مَحا الباري مَحاسن وَجنَتيه

Nor turned his heart to faithfulness,

God smote his fair face and his pride.

وَقَد كَتب السَواد بِعارضيهِ

لِمَن يَقرا وَجاءَكُم النَذيرُ

And so the blackness marked his brow—

A sign for those who read the warnings.