أعجبْ لمحتجِبٍ عن كلِّ ذِي نَظَرٍ

أعجبْ لمحتجِبٍ عن كلِّ ذِي نَظَرٍ

صحِبْتُهُ الدَّهرَ لم أسبُرْ خَلائِقَهُ

صحِبْتُهُ الدَّهرَ لم أسبُرْ خَلائِقَهُ

Marvel at one concealed from all who have sight.

I'm amazed at one who hides from all with sight

I kept his company all my life, yet never fathomed his character.

I've known him ages, yet can't fathom his nature

حتى إذا رابَنِي قَابلتُه فَقَضَى

حتى إذا رابَنِي قَابلتُه فَقَضَى

حَياؤهُ وإِبائِي أن أفَارِقَهُ

حَياؤهُ وإِبائِي أن أفَارِقَهُ

Until, when he troubled me, I faced him; then it was decreed

Until, when he shunned me, I went to see him, and

by his modesty and my pride that I should part from him.

My shyness and his refusal meant we must part