1. إِذا عَلِمَ العِدا عَنكَ اِنتِقالي

    فَخُذ ما شِئتَ مِن قيلٍ وَقالِ

    If the enemies learn of my departure from you,

    then take all you wish of hearsay and gossip.

  2. وَنالوا مِنكَ بِالأَقوالِ عِرضاً

    وَقَيناهُ بِأَطرافِ العَوالي

    And with words they will assail your honor,

    which we guarded with the tips of lofty spears.

  3. وَقَد كانَ العَذولُ يَوَدُّ أَنّي

    أُسيغُ لَهُ اليَسيرَ مِنَ المَقالِ

    The reproacher had wished that I

    would stomach a little of his talk.

  4. فَكَيفَ إِذا تَيَقَّنَ فيكَ زُهدي

    وَكانَ يَسُرُّهُ عَنكَ اِشتِغالي

    How, then, when he becomes certain of my indifference to you,

    when being distracted from you used to delight him?

  5. فَكَم سَخِطَ الأَنامُ وَأَنتَ راضٍ

    وَكَم رَخُصَ المِلاحُ وَأَنتَ غالي

    For how often were people displeased while you were content,

    and how often were beauties cheap while you were dear!

  6. وَكَم هَدَمَت حِمى قَومي خُطوبٌ

    تَهُدُّ الراسِياتِ وَأَنتَ عالي

    And how often calamities demolished my people's sanctuary,

    calamities that topple firmly rooted mountains, while you remained lofty!

  7. وَكَم مِن وَقعَةٍ لِعِداكَ عِندي

    نَذَرتُ بِها دَمي وَنَذَرتُ مالي

    And how many a battle against your enemies is to my credit,

    in which I pledged my blood and pledged my wealth!

  8. وَكَم هَمَّت كِلابُ الحَيِّ نَهضاً

    وَقَد حَمَتِ الأُسودُ حِمى الغَزالِ

    And how often the encampment's dogs were poised to spring,

    while lions had guarded the gazelle's sanctuary!

  9. وَكَم لامَت عَليكَ سَراةُ أَهلي

    فَأَحسَبُ قَولَ آلي لَمعَ آلِ

    And how often the nobles of my family reproached me over you,

    so I deem my kin's words a mirage's shimmer.

  10. وَكَم خاطَرتُ فوكَ بِبَذلِ نَفسي

    وَأَعلَمُ أَنَّ بالي فيكَ بالي

    And how often I took risks by offering my life [“your mouth” is unclear here],

    and I know that my mind is worn out over you.

  11. وَكَم صَبٍّ تَفاءَلَ في حَبيبٍ

    وَفى لي إِنَّ حِبّي ما وَفى لي

    And how many a lovesick man saw a good omen in a beloved

    who kept faith with me; indeed, my beloved kept no faith with me.

  12. وَكَم جَرَّبتُ قَبلَكَ مِن مَليحٍ

    فَأَمسى جيدُ حالِيَ مِنهُ حالي

    And how many a beautiful one I tried before you,

    so the neck of my fortune became adorned through him.

  13. وَلَولا أَنَّ في التَجريبِ فَضلاً

    لَما فَضُلَ اليَمينُ عَلى الشِمالِ

    And were there no merit in testing,

    the right hand would not surpass the left.

  14. أَظُنُّكَ إِذ حَوَيتَ الحُسنَ طُرّاً

    وَإِذ وَفَّيتَ أَقسامَ الجَمالِ

    I think that, since you gathered beauty in its entirety,

    and since you fulfilled every aspect of loveliness,

  15. قَصَدتَ بِأَن جَعَلتَ العُذرَ عَيباً

    عَساهُ يَقيكَ مِن عَينِ الكَمالِ

    you intended, by making excuse a flaw,

    that it might shield you from the evil eye that perfection draws.

  16. فَسَوفَ أَسوءُ نَفسي بِاِنقِطاعي

    بِحيثُ أُسِرُّ نَفسَكَ بِاِرتِحالي

    So I shall grieve myself by breaking away,

    so as to gladden your soul with my departure.

  17. إِذا ما شِئتَ أَن تَسلو حَبيباً

    فَأَكثِر دونَهُ عَدَدَ اللَيالي

    If ever you wish to forget a beloved,

    then multiply the number of nights apart from him.