أَلماً بِذاتِ الخالِ فَاِستَطلِعا لَنا

عَلى العَهدِ باقٍ وُدُّها أَم تَصَرَّما

Ask, with my regards, how her love remains steadfast,

If our pact still stands or has completely unraveled.

وَقولا لَهَ إِنَّ النَوى أَجنَبيَّةٌ

بِنا وَبِكُم قَد خِفتُ أَن تَتَتَمَّما

And say, "My heart worries our love has grown estranged,

Both yours and mine, should the people convene."

شَطونٌ بِأَهواءٍ نَرى أَنَّ قُربَنا

وَقُربَكُمُ إِن يَشهَدِ الناسُ مَوسِما

Misguided by whims while we feel our closeness,

Yours and ours, would thrive if witnessed by all.

وَقولا لَها لا تَقبَلي قَولَ كاشِحٍ

وَقولي لَهُ إِن زَلَّ أَنفُكَ أَرغِما

And say to her, "Reject not the words of a slanderer,

And say to him, your nose shall be bent if you persist."

وَقولا لَها لَم يُسلِنا النَأيُ عَنكُمُ

وَلا قَولُ واشٍ كاذِبٍ إِن تَنَمَّما

And say to her, "Our estrangement was not wished by us,

Nor by the lies of a mendacious talebearer, if he persists."

وَقولا لَها ما في العِبادِ كَريمَةٌ

أَعَزَّ عَلَينا مِنكِ طُرّاً وَأَكرَمَ

And say to her, "None among the servants, o noble one,

Is more beloved to us than you, however it hurts or appeases."

وَقولا لَها لا تَسمَعِنَّ لِكاشِحٍ

مَقالاً وَإِن أَسدى لَدَيكِ وَأَلحَما

And say to her, "Hear not the words of a slanderer,

Though he may flatter and fawn in your presence."

وَقولا لَها لَم أَجنِ ذَنباً فَتَعتُبي

عَلَيَّ بِحَقٍّ بَل عَتَبتِ تَجَرُّما

And say to her, "No wrong have I done that you'd reproach me.

Rather you've unjustly cast blame, heaping insult atop."

فَقالا لَها فَاِرفَضَّ فَيضُ دُموعِها

كَما أَسلَمَ السِلكُ الجُمانَ المُنَظَّما

So they said to her, and her tears flowed freely,

As beads of pearl slip smoothly down the threading.

تَحَدُّرَ غُصنِ البانِ لانَت فُروعُهُ

وَجادَت عَلَيهِ ديمَةٌ ثُمَّ أُرهِما

The boughs of willow bent down, its branches languished,

As a light rain poured down continuously.

فَلَمّا رَأَت عَيني عَلَيها تَهَلَّلَت

مَخافَةَ أَن تَنهَلَّ كُرهاً تَبَسُّما

When her eyes fell upon me, she smiled,

Fearing a frown might reveal her hidden contempt.

وَقالَت لِأُختَيها اِذهَبا في حَفيظَةٍ

فَزورا أَبا الخَطّابِ سِرّاً وَسَلِّما

And she said to her sisters, “Leave protected,

And secretly visit Abu al-Khattab, giving greetings."

وَقولا لَهُ وَاللَهِ ما الماءُ لِلصَدى

بِأَشهى إِلَينا مِن لِقائِكَ فَاِعلَما

"And say to him, by God, my longing for you

Surpasses the thirsty earth’s craving for rain."

وَقولا لَهُ ما شاعَ قَولُ مُحَرِّشٍ

لَدَيَّ وَلا رامَ الرِضا أَو تَرَغَّما

"No slander has swayed me, nor discontentment;

And if you've done wrong, custom allows moving on."

وَقولا لَهُ إِن تَجنِ ذَنباً أَعُدُّهُ

مِنَ العُرفِ إِن رامَ الوُشاةُ التَكَلُّما

So I said, "Go, say to her, 'You're the sole object

Of my greatest desire, beyond all others combined.'"

فَقُلتُ اِذهَبا قولا لَها أَنتِ هَمُّهُ

وَكِبرُ مُناهُ مِن فَصيحٍ وَأَعجَمَ

"'When the fair one is close, life's bounty and passion overflow;

Your home coming to us is the world's greatest prize.'"

إِذا بِنتِ بانَت نِعمَةُ العَيشِ وَالهَوى

وَإِن قَرُبَت دارٌ بِكُم فَكَأَنَّما

"'He who finds you near sees life's joy for himself,

And your loss, sheer despair; your presence, a gain.'"

يَرى نِعمَةَ الدُنيا اِحتَواها لِنَفسِهِ

يَرى اليَأسَ غَبناً وَاِقتِرابَكِ مَغنَما

"Why favor us with a love we don't share,

When ours for you will last, stable and true?"

فَلِم تَفضُلينا في هَوىً غَيرَ أَنَّنا

نَرى وُدَّنا أَبقى بَقاءً وَأَدوَما