1. The imagination galloped but did not get exhausted,
And it passed leaving behind in the ribs some wounds.
١. عَاجَ الْخَيَالُ فَلَمْ يَبُلَّ أُوَامَا
وَمَضَى وَخَلَّفَ فِي الضُّلُوعِ ضِرَامَا
2. What is it to me and the dark-eyed maid! I stirred her eyes,
So they filled my heart with goals and arrows.
٢. مَا لِي وَلِلْكَحْلَاءِ! هِجْتُ عُيُونَهَا
فَمَلَأْنَ قَلْبِي أَنْصُلًا وَسِهَامَا
3. O heart, woe unto you! You did not listen to an advisor
When you wished, nor did you fear blame.
٣. يَا قَلْبُ وَيْحَكَ! مَا سَمِعْتَ لِنَاصِحٍ
لَمَّا ارْتَمَيْتَ، وَلَا اتَّقَيْتَ مَلَامَا
4. The beautiful one played with you, coming closer for a while
Then she stirs you up and leaves for a year.
٤. لَعِبَتْ بِكَ الْحَسْنَاءُ، تَدْنُو سَاعَةً
فَتُثِيرُ مَا بِكَ، ثُمَّ تَهْجُرُ عَامَا
5.
Love, if it lacks good traits,
٥. وَالْحُبُّ مَا لَمْ تَكْتَنِفْهُ شَمَائِلٌ
غُرٌّ يَعُودُ مَعَرَّةً وَأَثَامَا!
6. Is deception that returns with disgrace and sins!
And love is the pleasant dreams of youth,
٦. وَالْحُبُّ أَحْلَامُ الشَّبَابِ هَنِيئَةً
مَا أَطْيَبَ الْأَيَّامَ والْأَحْلَامَا!
7. How good are those days and dreams!
Love wrestles the generous, shaking him,
٧. وَالْحُبُّ نَازِعَةُ الْكَرِيمِ تَهُزُّهُ
فَيَصُولُ سَيْفًا أَوْ يَسِيلُ غَمَامَا!
8. So he rages like a sword or pours down like rain clouds!
Love is the playfulness of life and its prime,
٨. وَالْحُبُّ مَلْهَاةُ الْحَيَاةِ وَطِبُّهَا
وَلَقَدْ تَكُونُ بِهِ الْحَيَاةُ سَقَامَا!
9. And life can really become sickly through it!
Love is the fires of the Magi, its flames
٩. وَالْحُبُّ نِيرَانُ الْمَجُوسِ، لَهِيبُهَا
يُحْيِي النُّفُوسَ، وَيَقْتُلُ الْأَجْسَامَا!
10. Revive souls and kill bodies!
Love is the soul’s poetry, if it cries out with it,
١٠. وَالْحُبُّ شِعْرُ النَّفْسِ إِنْ هَتَفَتْ بِهِ
سَكَتَ الْوُجُودُ وَأَطْرَقَ اسْتِعْظَامَا!
11. Existence falls silent and bows down in awe!
Love is from the secret of the sky, so name it
١١. وَالْحُبُّ مِنْ سِرِّ السَّمَاءِ فَسَمِّهِ
وَحْيًا إِذَا مَا شِئْتَ أَوْ إِلْهَامَا
12. Inspiration, if you wish, or revelation.
Without it the son of Zabibah would not have become,
١٢. لَوْلَاهُ مَا أَضْحَى وَلِيدُ زَبِيبَةٍ
يَوْمَ التَّفَاخُرِ سَيِّدًا مِقْدَامَا
13. On the day of boasting, a bold master.
Nor would he have, with his chest, shot into the two battle lines
١٣. وَلَمَا رَمَى فِي الْجَحْفَلَيْنِ بِصَدْرِهِ
لَا يَتَّقِي رُمْحًا وَلَا صَمْصَامَا
14. Not fearing a spear or sword.
Love clothed him in chivalry as a young man
١٤. الْحُبُّ أَلْبَسَهُ الْمُرُوءَةَ يَافِعًا
وَأَعَدَّهُ لِلْمَكْرُمَاتِ غُلَامَا
15. And prepared him for glorious deeds.
Oh how love made the love-sick pine,
١٥. يَا شَدَّ مَا فَعَلَ الْغَرَامُ بِمُهْجَةٍ
ذَابَتْ أَسًى وَصَبَابَةً وَهُيَامَا!
16. Melting in sorrow, confusion, and passion!
She used to be proud, not lowering her bridle,
١٦. كَانَتْ صَئُولًا لا تُنِيلُ خِطَامَهَا
فَغَدَتْ أَذَلَّ السَّائِمَاتِ خِطَامَا!
17. But became the most submissive of the submissive in bridle!
She accustomed herself to the sweet and bitter of love
١٧. سَكَنَتْ إِلَى حُلْوِ الْغَرَامِ وَمُرِّهِ
وَرَعَتْ عُهُودًا لِلْهَوَى وَذِمَامَا
18. And pledged time to passion and obligation!
She related the conversations of love so she related them
١٨. وَطَوَتْ أَحَادِيثَ الْجَوَى فَطَوَتْ بِهَا
دَاءً يَدُكُّ الرَّاسِيَاتِ عُقَامَا
19. With an illness that shakes the foundations violently!
١٩. نَالَ الضَّنَى مِنْهَا الَّذِي قَدْ نَالَهُ
فَعَلَامَ رَوَّعَهَا الصُّدُودُ عَلَامَا؟
20. He takes from her the affection he has taken
So why did rejection upset her for what reason!
٢٠. يَا زَهْرَةً نَمَّ النَّسِيمُ بِعَرْفِهَا
وَجَرَى بِهَا مَاءُ النَّعِيمِ جِمَامَا
21. Oh blossom, the breeze whispered to her fragrance
And the water of bliss flowed to her abundantly!
٢١. يَا جَنَّةً لَوْ كَانَ يَنْفَعُ عِنْدَهَا
نُسْكٌ لَبِتْنَا سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامَا
22. Oh garden, if devotion could benefit us before her
We would prostrate and stand in prayer!
٢٢. يَا طَلْعَةَ الرَّوْضِ النَّضِيرِ تَحِيَّةً!
وَمُجَاجَةَ الْمِسْكِ الذَّكِيِّ سَلَامَا!