1. تَباعَدَ عَنْ عِرْسِه جَعفرُ

    فَسرَّهُما البُعدُ بعدَ اقترابِ

    Ja‘far drew away from his wife,

    and distance pleased them both after closeness.

  2. وكانت تَصبو إلى غيره

    وكانَ إلى غيرِها ذا تَصَابي

    She was longing for someone other than him,

    and he was given to youthful dalliance with someone other than her.

  3. فبَينا هُما يَتْبعانِ الهَوَى

    على حَذَرٍ مِنهما وارتقابِ

    So while both were following desire,

    with caution and watchfulness on both their parts,

  4. أتاحَ الزمانُ لهُ سَفرةً

    مُعجَّلةً لم تَكُنْ في الحِسابِ

    Time afforded him a journey,

    a hurried one he had not reckoned on.

  5. فمكَّنَها من قِيادِ الزُّناةِ

    وتُمكِنُه من قِيادِ القِحابِ

    So it let her take the reins of adulterers,

    and lets him take the reins of whores.

  6. فوَدَّا وقد وُفِّقَا للفِراقِ

    بأنَّ التَّلاقيَ يومَ الحِسابِ

    So both wished, having been favored with separation,

    that their reunion be on the Day of Reckoning.