لا تُنكِرَنَّ صَفارَ قِرطاسي إِذا

لا تُنكِرَنَّ صَفارَ قِرطاسي إِذا

وافى إِلَيكَ وَدِقَّةَ المَكتوبِ

وافى إِلَيكَ وَدِقَّةَ المَكتوبِ

Do not be surprised at my paper's yellowness when

Deny not the messenger of my writing

it reaches you, nor at the fineness of the writing.

when he comes to thee, and the knock that he makes,

وَكِلاهُما عوفيتَ مِن داءِ الهَوى

وَكِلاهُما عوفيتَ مِن داءِ الهَوى

بِنُحولِ جِسمي شاهِدٌ وَشُحوبي

بِنُحولِ جِسمي شاهِدٌ وَشُحوبي

And both—may you be spared the sickness of love—

for both thou hast cured from the disease of love

bear witness to my body's wasting and my pallor.

by my leanness of body that bears witness, and my paleness.