صَرَمتَ حَبائِلاً مِن حُبِّ سَلمى

لِهِندٍ ما عَمَدتَ لِمُستَراحِ

You have knitted ropes of Salma's love

For an India you have not equipped for departure

فَانَّكَ إِن تُقِم لا تَلقَ هِنداً

وَإِن تَرحَل فَقَلبُكَ غَيرُ صاحي

For if you stay, you won’t find an India

And if you travel, your heart will not be at ease

يَظَلُّ نَهارَهُ يَهذي بِهِندٍ

وَيأرقُ لَيلَهُ حَتّى الصَباحِ

Spending his day raving about an India

And staying up all night, until dawn

أَعَبدَ الواحِدِ المَحمود إِنّي

أَغَصُّ حذار سُخطِكَ بالقَراحِ

I serve the One Worthy of Praise

Taking precautions against incurring your anger

فَشُلَّت راحَتايَ وَجالَ مُهري

فَأَلقاني بِمُشتَجَرِ الرِماحِ

So I lost my comfort and my dowry went away

Leaving me amidst thrusting spears

وَأَقعَدَني الزَمانُ فَبِتُّ صِفراً

مِنَ المالِ المُعَزَّبِ وَالمُراحِ

And time has left me empty-handed

Of accumulated wealth and departure

إِذا فَخَّمتُ غَيرَكَ في ثَنائي

وَنُصحي في المَغيبَةِ واِمتِداحي

If I praise others in my poetry

And my advice in absence and praise

كَأَنَّ قَصائِدي لَكَ فاِصطَنعِني

كَرائِمُ قَد عُضِلنَ عَن النِكاحِ

Is as though my poems are for you so indulge me

Noble women have been forbidden from marriage

فَإِن أَكُ قَد هَفَوتُ إِلى أَميرٍ

فَعَن غَيرِ التَطَوُعِ وَالسَماحِ

For if I have slipped into the favor of an amir

It was not intentional or permitted

وَلَكِن سَقطَةٌ عِيبَت عَلَينا

وَبَعضُ القَولِ يَذهَبُ في الرِياحِ

But a slip which brought us shame

And some words are lost in the winds

لَعَمرُكَ إِنَّني وَبَني عَديٍّ

وَمَن يَهوى رَشادي أَو صَلاحي

By your life, I and the clan of Adyy

And whoever desires my guidance or righteousness

إِذا لَم تَرضَ عَنّي أَو تَصِلني

لَفي حَينٍ أُعالِجُهُ مُتاحِ

If you are not pleased with me or reconcile me

Then soon I will address it when I can

وَإِنَّكَ إِن حَطَطتُ إِلَيكَ رَحلي

بِغَربيِّ الشَراةِ لَذو اِرتياحِ

And you, if I bring my mount

With my western saddle, will be at ease

هَشَشتَ لحاجَةٍ وَوَعَدتَ أُخرى

وَلَم تَبخَل بِناجِزَةِ السَراحِ

You exempted one need and promised another

And did not begrudge the finality of farewell

حَمَيتُ حماكَ في مَنَعاتِ قَلبي

فَلَيسَ حِماكَ عِندي بِالمُباحِ

I protected your protection in the prevention of my heart

For your protection is not permitted to me

وَجَدنا غالِباً خُلِقَت جَناحاً

وَكانَ أَبوكَ قادِمَةَ الجَناحِ

And we found Ghalib naturally disposed to forgiveness

And your father was Qadima the forgiveness

وَأَنتَ مِن الغَوائِلِ حينَ تُرمى

وَمِن ذَمِّ الرِجالِ بِمُنتَزاحِ

And you are above reproach when blamed

And above men's censure with honor

إِذا جَعَلَ البَخيلُ البُخلَ تُرساً

وَكانَ سِلاحُهُ دونَ السِلاحِ

If the miser makes miserliness his shield

And his weapon is less than weapons

فَإِنَّ سِلاحَكَ المَعروفُ حَتّى

تَفوزَ بِعَرضِ ذي شِيَمٍ صِحاحِ

Then your weapon is good deed, until

You win the reputation of one of perfect qualities