وقد كنت تلقاني بوجه لقربه

وقد كنت تلقاني بوجه لقربه

تدان وللهجران عن قربه سخط

تدان وللهجران عن قربه سخط

And you once met me with a face whose nearness

You used to welcome me with a face eager for nearness,

Invited closeness, while estrangement from it drew displeasure.

Yet now you are angry at being near.

وما تكره العتب اليسير سجيتي

وما تكره العتب اليسير سجيتي

على أنه قد عيب في الشعر الوخط

على أنه قد عيب في الشعر الوخط

My nature does not dislike gentle reproach,

My nature does not dislike slight reproach,

Though flecks of gray in the hair have been deemed a flaw.

Though excess is indeed blameworthy in poetry.

فقد يتعب الإنسان في الفكر نفسه

فقد يتعب الإنسان في الفكر نفسه

وقد يحسن الخيلان في الوجه والنقط

وقد يحسن الخيلان في الوجه والنقط

For a person may weary himself in thought,

A man may weary himself with constant thought,

And moles and speckles may look lovely on a face.

Just as horses can spoil their faces with a halter.

تزين إذا قلت ويفحض أمرها

تزين إذا قلت ويفحض أمرها

إذا أفرطت يوماً وهل يحمد الفرط

إذا أفرطت يوماً وهل يحمد الفرط

They adorn when few, but their appearance grows unsightly

Adornment becomes you when I speak little,

If one day they grow excessive—and is excess praised?

Yet excess leads to rejection, and who praises excess?

أعنه فقد أضحى لفرط همومه

أعنه فقد أضحى لفرط همومه

يبكي له القرطاش والحبر والخط

يبكي له القرطاش والحبر والخط

Help him, for his overwhelming cares have brought him to the point

Pity him, for in his excess of cares

Where paper, ink, and script weep for him.

The paper, the ink and the pen weep for him.