Had I wept before she wept, to my longing-love a prey,
Before repentance came, I had quit my soul of pain;
But she wept before I wept and I wept to see her care
And I said, "All the merit appertains to precedent;"[[291]]
Blame me not for loving her; now on self of Love I swear
For her sake, for her only, these pains my soul torment.
She hath all the lere of Lukmán[[292]] and Yúsuf's beauty lief;
Sweet singer David's voice and Maryam's chastity:
While I've all Jacob's mourning and Jonah's prison-grief,
And the sufferings of Job and old Adam's history: