ما لي أُهانُ وَلا تُجابُ صَحائِفي

ما لي أُهانُ وَلا تُجابُ صَحائِفي

وَإِلى مَتى أُقصى لَدَيكِ وَأُحجَبُ

وَإِلى مَتى أُقصى لَدَيكِ وَأُحجَبُ

Why am I humiliated and my letters left unanswered?

Why do I suffer disgrace, my missives unanswered,

And how long shall I be kept away from you and barred?

And for how long barred at your door shall I stay?

ما كانَ ضَرَّكِ إِذ كَرِهتِ أَميرَتي

ما كانَ ضَرَّكِ إِذ كَرِهتِ أَميرَتي

أَن تَكتُبي أَن تَأمُري مَن يَكتُبُ

أَن تَكتُبي أَن تَأمُري مَن يَكتُبُ

What harm would it have done you, my princess—since you were loath

My queen, no harm in a note, were you once to indite,

to write—to order someone to write?

Command some scribe, let him write what you say.