1. نقاءٌ في احتشامٍ في نحولٍ

    كعذراءٍ من المتعبدات

    Purity in modesty, in slenderness,

    like a virgin among devout women,

  2. أقامت حقبةً في الديرِ ترعى

    بحراسٍ وحفاظٍ تقاتِ

    who dwelt a while in the convent, watched over

    by guards and pious keepers,

  3. بعيداً عن عيونٍ تشتهيها

    وعن مهجٍ إليها ظامئاتِ

    far from eyes that desire her

    and from souls thirsting for her.

  4. فلم تُحدَج بألحاظٍ وقاحٍ

    ولم تُلمَس بأيدٍ خاطئاتِ

    Thus she was not eyed with brazen glances,

    nor touched by sinful hands.

  5. حصانٌ مثلُ ماء المزن حتى

    أُبيحَت لي وحلَّت للدواة

    Chaste as water from rain clouds, until

    she was permitted to me and became lawful for the inkwell.

  6. أيا ذاتَ النقاء وددتُ أني

    حفظتكِ بينَ أجنحةِ البزاةِ

    O pure one, I wish I had

    kept you between the hawks' wings,

  7. فلا يرقى إليكِ سوى أديب

    شريفِ القولِ موفورِ الأَناةِ

    so none could rise to you but a man of letters,

    noble in speech and rich in patience,

  8. يزيدكِ قولُهُ حسناً ويفضي

    إِلينا بالعاني السامياتِ

    whose words enhance your beauty and convey

    to us lofty meanings.

  9. فأَما من يُسوِّدك اعتباطاً

    فعندي أنهُ شرُّ الجناةِ

    But as for whoever blackens you haphazardly,

    to my mind, he is the worst of offenders.

  10. يضيِّعُ وقتَ قارئِهِ بهزء

    ويحسبُ قد أَتى بالمعجزات

    He wastes his reader's time with mockery,

    and thinks he has wrought miracles.