1. These are the beauties and their war is estrangement
So drink is a must when with them
١. هُنَّ الحِسانُ وَحَرْبُهَا الهَجْرُ
فَلِذاكَ يَجْبُنُ عِندَها الذِّمْرُ
2. You waged that war as an experiment
Or are you oblivious to its killings
٢. أصَلِيتَ تلك الحربَ تجربةً
أم أنْتَ عن فَتَكاتِها غَمْرُ
3. Every young woman once she reaches
Fourteen of her life
٣. مِن كُلِّ ناشِئةٍ إذا اتّصَلَت
مِنْ عُمْرها بالأرْبَعِ العَشْرُ
4. And how much the lovesick desired of her
Fruit that made the chest split
٤. وكَمِ اشْتَهَى مِنها عَليلُ هوىً
ثَمَراً بِهِنَّ تَفَلَّكَ الصَّدرُ
5. My nature is compliant like hers and both
Are easy, controlling the reins and honorable
٥. خُلُقي مَطِيَّةُ خُلْقِها وَهُمَا
سهلٌ يديرُ عِنَانَهُ وَعْرُ
6. O gazelle if the sight made you sick
Then for every bald there is a shaved
٦. يا ظبيةً إنْ مَرّضَتْ نظراً
فَلِكُلِّ قَسْوَرَةٍ به قَسرُ
7. Your love is anguish without relief
And when will its burning cease
٧. كَرْبٌ هواك وما له فَرَجٌ
وَمَتى يُفارِقُ لَذعَهُ الجَّمرُ
8. Even the pillow from you is oppressive
Is the pearl oppressed by your mouth?
٨. حَتّى الأَراكةُ منك ظالمةٌ
دُرّاً بفيكِ أيُظْلَمُ الدّرُّ
9. As if a lightning in your smile
And my tears for it are drops
٩. وَكَأنَّ بَرْقاً في تَبَسّمِهِ
وكأنّما دَمْعي له قَطرُ
10. I complain of intoxication I never drank
The wine of your mouth makes me drunk
١٠. أشكو خُماراً ما شربتُ له
خَمراً بِفيكَ فَريقُكَ الخمرُ
11. And a pain stirs me its cause
An illness, your glance must be magic
١١. وَيَهيجُ بي وَجَعٌ وَعِلَّتُهُ
سَقَمٌ بِطَرفِكَ إنَّ ذا سحرُ
12. And I see what you find in yourself benefits you
So through it I was struck by harm
١٢. وَأَرى الَّذي تَجِدينَ فيكِ لَهُ
نَفْعاً فَمنهُ مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ
13. From your beautiful face he sought salt
As if salt appears on his face
١٣. من وجهكِ الحُسنُ اقتنى مُلَحاً
فكأنّها في وَجْهِهِ بِشرُ
14. The sun cannot attain a station
So how can the moon attain it?
١٤. ليستْ تنالُ الشمسُ منزلةً
مِنها فَكَيفَ ينالها البَدرُ
15. And I see you tried to quicken your steps
But faltered and the sea rose above you
١٥. وأراكِ قد حاولتِ نَقْلَ خُطىً
فَقَصَرْتِها وعلا بكِ البُهْرُ
16. And I pardoned your waist out of mercy
The waist is pardoned for carrying your hips
١٦. وعَذَرتُ مِنكِ الخصرَ مَرْحَمَةً
ولِحَملِ ردفِكِ يُعْذَرُ الخصرُ
17. It leaned against a close brother branch
As some of it the patience cannot bear
١٧. عَذَلتْ على دَنفٍ أخا مِقَةٍ
لا يَستَقِلُّ بِبَعضِها الصَّبرُ
18. So it bent to its humiliation and was raised
For the lofty Sagafa and the great humbled
١٨. فَرَثَتْ لِذِلَّتِهِ ورُبَّتَما
لانَ الصّفَا وَتَواضَعَ الكبرُ
19. Her glances sent to him secretly
If only she did so openly
١٩. بَعَثَتْ لَواحِظُها بِعِطفَتِها
سِرّاً إِلَيهِ فَلَيتَها جَهرُ
20. She killed him while intending his life
A sin your life, is that wrong or reward?
٢٠. قَتَلَتْهُ وهيَ تُريدُ عِيشَتَهُ
ذنبٌ بعيشكِ ذاك أمْ أجْرُ