خَليلَيَّ عَوجا حَيِّيا اليَومَ زَينَبا

وَلا تَترُكاني صاحِبَيَّ وَتَذهَبا

My two companions, crooked Khaleel and lively Zeinab

Don’t leave me my friends and go away

إِذا ما قَضَينا ذاتَ نَفسٍ مُهِمَّةٍ

إِلَيها وَقَرَّت بِالهَوى العَينُ فَاِركَبا

When we finish an important task

To which desire has settled in the eyelids, then ride

أَقولُ لِواشٍ سالَني وَهوَ شامِتٌ

سَعى بَينَنا بِالصَرمِ حيناً وَأَجلَبا

I say to Washi who asked me while he gloats

He created problems between us sometimes and brought disgrace

سُؤالَ اِمرِئٍ يُبدي لَنا النُصحَ ظاهِراً

يَجِنُّ خِلالَ النُصحِ غِشّاً مُغَيَّبا

The question of a man who shows us advice apparently

He hides cheating through advice

عَلى العَهدِ سَلمى كَالبَريءِ وَقَد بَدا

لَنا لا هَداهُ اللَهُ ما كانَ سَبَّبا

We were peaceful with Salma as if innocent

And it wasn’t good for us what he had caused

نُعاني لَدَيها بَعدَما خِلتُ أَنَّهُ

لَهُ الوَيلُ عَن نَعتي لَدَيها قَد اِضَرَبا

We suffer with her after I was alone that he

Woe to him from my description of him to her, they departed

فَإِن تَكُ سَلمى قَد جَفَتني وَطاوَعَت

بِعاقِبَةٍ بي مَن طَغى وَتَكَذَّبا

If Salma has deserted me and obeyed

The consequences with me of the one who transgressed and lied

فَقَد باعَدَت نَفساً عَلَيها شَفيقَةً

وَقَلباً عَصى فيها المُحِبَّ المُقَرَّبا

She distanced a soul that cared about her

And a heart that the loving intimate disobeyed in her

وَلَستُ وَإِن سَلمى تَوَلَّت بِوُدِّها

وَأَصبَحَ باقي الوُدِّ مِنها تَقَضَّبا

And even if Salma has turned away her love

And the rest of her love has withered

بِمُثنٍ سِوى عُرفٍ عَلَيها فَمُشمِتٍ

عُداةً بِها حَولي شُهوداً وَغُيَّبا

I won’t be praised except by the custom upon her so the gloaters

Surrounding me witnesses and hidden enemies

سِوى أَنَّني لا بُدَّ إِن قالَ قائِلٌ

وَذو اللُبِّ قَوّالٌ إِذا ما تَعَتَّبا

Except that I must, if someone says

And the eloquent speaker when he is hurt

فَلا مَرحَباً بِالشامِتينَ بِهَجرِنا

وَلا زَمَنٍ أَضحى بِنا قَد تَقَلَّبا

So no welcome to those who gloat about our separation

And no era that has changed against us

وَما زالَ بي ما ضَمَّنَتني مِنَ الجَوى

وَمِن سَقَمٍ أَعيا عَلى مَن تَطَبَّبا

And he did not stop what he blamed me

And the sickness that I suffered from the one who accused

وَكَثرَةِ دَمعِ العَينِ حَتّى لَوَ أَنَّني

يَراني عَدُوٌّ شامِتٌ لَتَحَوَّبا

And the abundant tears of the eye as if

An enemy saw me gloating, he would be confused