1. وَازروها بِالبُكا لا بِالتَعازي

    إِن هَولَ الحُزنِ بِالأَحشاءِ غازي

    Support her with weeping, not with condolences.

    For grief's terror invades her very entrails.

  2. قَد أَذابَتها حَقيقات الأَسى

    فَاِترُكوها مِن عِبارات المَجازِ

    The realities of sorrow have already melted her away;

    So spare her the phrases of metaphor.

  3. عِندَها كانَ هِزارٌ فَاِنثَنى

    طائِراً هَل بَعدَهُ تَصبو لِبازِ

    She had a nightingale; then he turned away,

    Taking flight—will she yearn for a falcon after him?

  4. خَطَفتُهُ نائِباتٌ فَاِختَفى

    شارِداً يَسلُكُ في أَقصى مَجازِ

    Calamities snatched him away, and he vanished,

    A wanderer, following the remotest path.

  5. غُصنَها الغَضُّ أَمالَتهُ الصِبا

    فَاِنثَنى إِذ كانَ في غَير اِرتِكازِ

    Her tender bough was bent by the east wind,

    So it bowed, for it lacked firm anchorage.

  6. طالَما جارَت عَلَيهِ فَسَرى

    يَخلَعُ النير طَلوباً لِلمَفازِ

    Long had she oppressed him, so he left by night,

    Casting off the yoke, eagerly seeking deliverance.

  7. فَاِنتَهى عُمرُ هَواها عِندَهُ

    كُلُّ شَيءٍ في البَرايا لِلنجازِ

    Thus his love for her reached its end;

    Everything in creation is destined to end.

  8. كُلُ مُلكٍ ضائِعٌ أَو ساقِطٌ

    إِن مَشى مالِكهُ دونَ اِحتِرازِ

    Every kingdom will be lost or fall

    If its ruler proceeds without caution.

  9. مَزَّقت أَثوابَها غَيظاً عَلى

    فَقَد مَأسورِ الهَوى بَعدَ اِحتيازِ

    She tore her garments in rage over

    Losing love's captive after taking possession of him.

  10. أَوشَكت تَخدشُ وَجنات السَما

    وَتَشُقُّ الصَدرَ مِن تَحتِ الطِرازِ

    She almost clawed the cheeks of heaven

    And rent her breast beneath the embroidered trim.

  11. غيرَة الغادة لَو تَدرونَها

    لا تَقيتم فَتكَها يَومَ البُرازِ

    If you knew the maiden's jealousy,

    You would guard against its deadly fury on the day of single combat.

  12. هاجَمَت عَينُ سِواها عَينَهُ

    فَسَبَتهُ تَحتَوي خَيرَ اِكتِنازِ

    Another woman's eye assailed his,

    And captured him, holding him as her choicest treasure.

  13. مُذ رَأَها وَهِيَ تَدعو للصَفا

    بادر الفُرصة في خَير اِنتِهازِ

    When he saw her beckoning to delight,

    He promptly seized the chance to best advantage.

  14. فَرَأى ذاتَ جَمالٍ باهِرٍ

    تَخجل الغُصنَ بميدٍ وَاِهتِزازِ

    And he saw a woman of dazzling beauty,

    Who shamed the bough with her swaying and quivering.

  15. كَتَبَ الحُسنُ عَلى أَلحاظِها

    إِحفَظوا الأَرواحَ مِن فَتكِ الغَوازي

    Beauty wrote upon her glances:

    "Guard your souls against the deadly assaults of raiding beauties."