وَلَقَد أَشهَدُ المُحَدِّثَ عِندَ ال

قَصرِ فيهِ تَعَفُّفٌ وَبَيانُ

I bear witness to the storyteller's eloquence at the palace

Wherein is modesty and clear expression

في زَمانٍ مِنَ المَعيشَةِ لَخٍّ

قَد مَضى عَصرُهُ وَهَذا زَمانُ

In an age of living meanly now passed

Its time has gone and this is the age

نَجعَلُ اللَيلَ مَوعِداً حينَ نُمسي

ثُمَّ يُخفي حَديثَنا الكِتمانُ

We arrange the night as a tryst when dusk falls

Then our talk is hidden by silence

أَيُّها الكاشِحُ المُعَرِّضُ بِالصَر

مِ تَزَحزَح فَما لَها الهِجرانُ

O you who turn away harshly when blamed

Won't you go easy, why this estrangement

لا مُطاعٌ في آلِ زَينَبَ فَاِرجِع

أَو تَكَلَّم حَتّى يَمَلَّ اللِسانُ

In Zainab's family none will obey, so turn back

Or speak until your tongue grows weary

لا صَديقاً كُنتَ اِتُّخِذتَ وَلا نُص

حُكَ عِندي زَجرٌ لَهُ ميزانُ

You were no true friend I kept

Your censure with me has no weight

فَاِنطَلِق صاغِراً فَليسَ لَها الصَر

مُ لَدينا وَلا إِلَيها الهَوانُ

So begone humbled, she wants no blame

From us, nor does she feel disdain

كَيفَ صَبري عَن بَعضِ نَفسي وَهَل يَص

بِرُ عَن بَعضِ نَفسِهِ الإِنسانُ

How can I be patient with part of myself, can

A person be patient with part of himself?