عَلِقَ النَوارَ فُؤادُهُ جَهلاً

وَصَبا فَلَم تَترُك لَهُ عَقلا

His heart was infatuated with her ignorantly,

And it was smitten with love, leaving no room for reason.

وَتَعَرَّضَت لي في المَسيرِ فَما

أَمسى الفُؤادُ يَرى لَها شَكلا

She passed by me on the road, but the heart

Did not retain her image by the end of the day.

ما ظَبيَةٌ مِن وَحشِ ذي بَقَرٍ

تَغذو بِسِقطِ صَريمَةٍ طِفلا

No doe feeding on the fallen fruits

Of a date-palm is sweeter than her words:

بِأَلَذَّ مِنها إِذ تَقولُ لَنا

وَأَرَدتُ كَشفَ قِناعِها مَهلا

"Let us be, for you cannot reward with favors,

Nor can you connect a rope that is unraveled."

دَعنا فِإِنَّكَ لا مُكارَمَةً

تَجزي وَلَستَ بِواصِلٍ حَبلا

And you have to endure the agony of a heart

That makes remembrance of you a preoccupation.

وَعَلَيكَ مِن تَبلِ الفُؤادِ وَإِن

أَمسى لِقَلبِكَ ذِكرُهُ شُغلا

So I responded: "The lover is obligated,

So spare me your reproach and renew the gift."

فَأَجَبتُها إِنَّ المُحِبَّ مُكَلَّفٌ

فَذَري العِتابَ وَأَحدِثي بَذلا