1. لم أعْطِ نفسي حَقَّها

    مَلَّكْتُ مِثْلَكَ رِقَّها

    I did not give my soul her due;

    I made her the slave of one like you.

  2. فالآن أعْتَقَها هوا

    كَ وكان رأيي عِتْقَها

    And now love for you has set her free,

    and freeing her was my resolve.

  3. رفقتْ بها نارُ الأسى

    من حيث أهوى رِفْقَها

    The fire of grief treated her gently,

    where I desired gentleness toward her.

  4. لم تلق في معشوقها

    صوناً فصانت عشقها

    She found in her beloved

    no protection, so she guarded her love.

  5. يا باذلاً كذبَ المود

    ةِ حين أَبْذُلُ صِدْقَها

    O you who offer false affection,

    while I offer its truth,

  6. ومسامحاً بهجائه

    غربَ البلادِ وشرقها

    and who allow yourself to be lampooned

    throughout the lands, west and east:

  7. إن صُعِّبَتْ طُرُقُ القلو

    بِ إِليكَ سَهَّلَ طرقها

    If the paths of hearts are made difficult,

    satire eases their paths to you.

  8. لو كنتَ رزقَ النفسِ ما

    كانتْ لتطلبَ رزقها

    If you were my soul's sustenance,

    she would not seek her sustenance.

  9. قَبُحتْ غلالةُ وجهك ال

    منسي الغلائلَ دِقَّها

    Ugly is the veil of your face,

    which makes fine veils forget their fineness.

  10. ما كان أصْفَقَها إِذا

    باشرْتُها وأرقَّها

    How thick it was when

    I touched it—and how delicate!