Yea, Time was clear for thee, but now 'tis past and gone * While
yet her lovely charms thy wit and senses daze:
Espied these eyes of mine her gifts of loveliness: * Oh, hard my
case and sore my woe on spirit weighs!
I saw the maiden of the tribe deal rich old wine * Of lips like
Salsabil to friend my love betrays:
E'en so, O mocking-bird, thou dost betray my breast * And to a
rival teachest Love and lover-ways:
Strange things indeed and wondrous saw these eyne of me * Which
were they sleepdrowned still from Sleep's abyss would raise:
I see my best belovŠd hath forsworn my love * And eke like my
mocking-bird fro' me a-startled strays.
By truth of Allah, Lord of Worlds who, whatso wills * His Fate,
for creatures works and none His hest gainsays,
Forsure I'll deal to that ungodly wight his due * Who but to sate
his wicked will her heart withdrew!"

When Zayn al-Mawasif heard this, her side-muscles trembled and
quoth she to her handmaid, "Heardest thou those lines?";
whereupon quoth the girl, "I never heard him in my born days
recite the like of these verses; but let him say what he will."
Then having assured himself of the truth of his suspicions, the
Jew began to sell all his property, saying to himself, "Unless I
part them by removing her from her mother land the twain will not
turn back from this that they are engaged in, no, never!" So,
when he had converted all his possessions into coin, he forged a
letter and read it to Zayn al-Mawasif, declaring that it had come
from his kinsmen, who invited him to visit them, him and his
wife. She asked, "How long shall we tarry with them?" and he
answered, "Twelve days." Accordingly she consented to this and