1. I have a bosom friend who brings me joy
A light as brilliant as the glow of lamps
١. لِي صَاحِبٌ في مُهْجَتي وَقَرَارِي
نُورٌ يُضَاهِي جَذْوَةَ الأنْوارِ
2. When I'm relaxing, he sings merrily
Honor him, a delightful companion
٢. إِنْ قُمْتُ فِي صَدَحٍ يُغَرِّدُ صَادِحًا
أَكْرِمْ بِهِ مِنْ مُؤْنِسٍ نَوَّارِ
3. In difficult times he shines optimistically
Consoling me when gloom prevails
٣. فِي عُسْرَةِ الأَحْدَاثِ يُشْرِق بَاسِمًا،
عِنْدَ الكُرُوبِ كَمُقْدِمٍ مِغْوَارِ
4. I seek him in sickness, he comes quickly
With the cool breeze in his sweet-scented robe
٤. أَبْغِيهِ فِي ضَرَمٍ فَيُسْرِعُ حَامِلاً
بَرْدَ النَّسِيمِ بِضَوْعِهِ المِعْطَارِ
5. He rescues me from every deep gloom
A support against the raging storms
٥. يَسْتَلُّنِي مِنْ كُلِّ أدْهَمَ غَائِرٍ
سَنَدًا يُجَابِهُ ثَوْرَةَ الأَخْطَارِ
6. Such affection has no veil or cover
That could conceal it from the eyes of strangers
٦. تِلْكَ المَوَدَّةُ لَيْسَ يَنْضُو ثَوْبُهَا
وَيْحِي إِذَا فَتِئَتْ بِغَيْرِ سِتَارِ
7. On a dark night, our circle gathered intimately
In a session rich with ideas
٧. فِي لَيْلَةٍ دَهْمَاءَ لُمْلِمَ شَمْلُنَا
فِي مَجْلِسٍ دَسِمٍ مِنَ الأفْكَارِ
8. We exchange tales, seeking entertainment
And news streams forth steadily
٨. نَتَبَادَلُ الأَسْمَارَ نَبْغِي فُسْحَةً
وَنَحُوكُهَا نَسَقًا مِنَ الأَخْبَارِ
9. The hours race by, we wish they'd linger
To turn them into intimate conversation
٩. تَتَسَابَقُ السَّاعَاتُ نَرْجُو وَقْفَهَا
فَنُحِيلُهَا ذِكْرَی مِنَ الإِسْرارِ
10. Then the ghost of absent ones appears
Drawing close the kisses of every eye
١٠. فَإِذَا فَتَاةُ الغَيْبِ تَظْهَرُ خِلْسَةً
تَدْنُو، بَهَاهَا قِبْلَةُ الأَنْظَارِ
11. Gazes pierce the heart like arrows
Noses keen as unsheathed blades
١١. وَاللَّحْظُ يَخْتَرِقُ الفُؤَادَ كَأَسْهُمٍ
وَالأَنْفُ حُدَّ كَصَارِمٍ بَتَّارِ
12. Eyes turn to a still glance
Of a sorcerer, nay, a formidable conqueror
١٢. تَرْنُو إِلَى نَحْوٍ بِطَرْفٍ سَاكِنٍ
مِنْ سَاحِرٍ بَلْ فَاتِكٍ قَهَّارِ
13. On her hand shines a delicate bracelet
Though beauty alone would suffice, lacking jewelry
١٣. يَبْدُو عَلَى يَدِهَا سِوَارٌ نَاعِمُ
وَإِنِ اِكْتَفَتْ بِالحُسْنِ دُونَ سِوَارِ
14. The figure slim as the tender sapling
In an arid expanse now bearing fruit
١٤. والقَدُّ مَيَّاسٌ كَأَخْضَرَ يَافِعٍ
فِي أَبْطَحٍ قَفْرٍ وَفَيْضِ ثِمَارِ
15. She sits conversing, as though a queen
On a throne by a flowing river
١٥. جَلَسَتْ تُجَاذِبُنَا الحَدِيثَ كَأَنَّهَا
مَلِكٌ عَلَى عَرْشٍ ونَهرٍ جَارِ
16. Awaiting whispers from our mouths
As bees wait for flowers to open
١٦. تَتَرَبَّصُ الهَمَسَاتِ مِنْ أفْوَاهِنَا
كَتَرَبُّصِ النَّحْلَاتِ بِالأَزْهَارِ
17. She spins her talk with the guile of the obsessed
The murmur of the infatuated, the secret tale
١٧. ضَرَبَتْ بأَطْرَافِ الحَدِيثِ تُحِيكُهُ
بِغِوَايَةِ الهَاوِي وَنَجْوَى السَّارِي
18. Prompting desires from our fiery imaginations
Yet when we speak, she turns away blatantly
١٨. تَسْتَنْطِقُ الرَّغَبَاتِ مِنْ أَفْكَارِنَا
وَإِذَا نَطَقْنَا أَعْرَضَتْ بِجِهَارِ
19. She lingers on the flirtation and charm of talk
Caring not for moral lessons or discourse
١٩. تَرْمِي إِلَى غَزْلِ الحَدِيثِ ولُطْفِهِ
مَا هَمَّهَا مِنْ عِبْرَةٍ وَحِوَارِ
20. When she feels her bait has been taken
And our fanciful minds lie exposed
٢٠. حِينَ استَقَرَّ نِصَابُهَا وَتَوَجَّسَتْ
ظَفَراً بِلُبِّ خَيَالِنَا الفَوَّارِ
21. She proceeds presuming her beauty and charm
Speaking shamelessly, arrogantly:
٢١. أَخَذَتْ تُحَاكِي حُسْنَها وَبَهاءَهَا
نَطَقَتْ بِلَا خَجَلٍ، وبِاسْتِهْتَارِ:
22. "We steal the hearts of men through love
And your visions, from our ceaseless overflowing
٢٢. نَسْتَلُّ أَفْئِدَةَ الرِّجَالِ مِنَ الهَوَى
وَخَيَالَكمْ مِنْ فَيْضِنَا المِدْرارِ
23. Eyes defeat your hearts with a glance
Like warriors with flames of fire
٢٣. تَرمِي العُيونُ قُلُوبَكُمْ مِنْ نَظْرَةٍ
كَالفَاتِكَاتِ بِمشْعَلٍ من نَارِ
24. With sweetness and melting softness
We capture hearts by our supreme sorcery
٢٤. مِنْ عَذْبَةٍ، مِنْ حُلْوَةٍ مَيَّاسَةٍ
نَسْبِي القُلُوبَ بِسِحْرِنَا الجَبّارِ
25. Beauties who show their glittering adornment
Or veil it in modesty's cloak and headscarf
٢٥. مِنْ فَاتِنَاتٍ قَدْ أَبَحْنَ بِزِينَةٍ
أو يَحتَجِبْنَ بِساترٍ وَخِمَارِ
26. We thrive on the passion of your love
Repelling you as scattered dust
٢٦. نَقْتَاتُ مَا نَقْتَاتُ مِنْ عُشَّاقِكُمْ
وَنَصُدُّكُمُ هَدَرًا كَنَثْرِ غُبَارِ
27. And when love strikes down with death
We indifferently wander in desolation and ruins"
٢٧. وَإِذَا أَصَابَ العِشْقُ مِنَّا مَقْتَلاً
تُهْنَا هَوًى فِي لُجَّةٍ وقِفارِ
28. The two listen spellbound to her words
Thoughts racing to thoughts
٢٨. أخَذَا بِشَوْقٍ يَسْمَعَانِ حَدِيثِهَا
وَالتَفَّتِ الأَفْكَارُ بِالأَفْكَارِ
29. Competing to reach a rosy hill
Whose slopes are veiled in mystery
٢٩. يَتَسَابَقَانِ عَلَى رُبىً وَرْدِيَّةٍ
وَسُفُوحُهَا ضَرْبٌ مِنَ الأَسْرَارِ
30. The phantom girl unleashes a flood
And friends disperse in the storm's fury
٣٠. وَمَضَتْ فَتَاةُ الغَيْبِ تُمْطِرُ وَابِلًا
وَتَفَرَّقَ الأَصْحَابُ فِي الإعْصَارِ
31. Caring not if they die longing for her
Oh, the cruelty of fate!
٣١. مَا هَمَّها أَنْ يَسْتَمِيتَا رَغْبَةً
فِيهَا.. فَيَا لقَسَاوَةِ الْأَقْدَارِ!