1. Return to me with union, or take what remains of me
For my heart is worn from what it has endured
١. عُودِي بِوَصْلٍ أَوْ خُذِي مَا بَقِي
فَقَدْ تَدَاعَى الْقَلْبُ مِمَّا لَقِي
2. What heart has not clung to you?
You are like the crescent moon shining bright
٢. أَيُّ فُؤَادٍ بِكِ لَمْ يَعْلَقِ
وَأَنْتِ صِنْوُ الْقَمَرِ الْمُشْرِقِ
3. You taught me humility though once I was a man
Who did as he pleased, with no fear
٣. عَلَّمْتِنِي الذُّلَّ وَكُنْتُ امْرأً
أَفْعَلُ مَا شِئْتُ وَلا أَتَّقِي
4. So have mercy on a heart you have wasted away
And on eyes that without you would not be sleepless
٤. فَارْحَمْ فُؤَاداً أَنْتَ أَبْلَيْتَهُ
وَمُقْلَةً لَوْلاكَ لَمْ تَأْرَقِ
5. I did not know I would suffer the pangs of love
Oh my heart, what have you endured because of her?
٥. لَمْ أَدْرِ حَتَّامَ أُقَاسِي الْجَوَى
يَا وَيْحَ قَلْبِي مِنْكَ مَاذَا لَقِي
6. When I remember you in solitude
A sigh rises up and escapes with my tears
٦. إِذَا تَذَكَّرْتُكَ فِي خَلْوَةٍ
هَوَتْ بِدَمْعِي زَفْرَةٌ تَرْتَقِي
7. By God, those who blame me were not fair
Is there blame upon one who cares?
٧. تَاللَّهِ مَا أَنْصَفَ مَنْ لامَنِي
فِيكَ وَهَلْ لَوْمٌ عَلَى مُشْفِقِ
8. How could I not love she whose beauty
Calls the heart of the devout to passion?
٨. وَكَيْفَ لا أَعْشَقُ مَنْ حُسْنُهُ
يَدْعُو إِلَى الصَّبْوَةِ قَلْبَ التَّقِي
9. For you is perfect beauty beyond all others
The full moon has no splendor but you
٩. لَكَ الْجَمَالُ التِّمُّ دُونَ الْوَرَى
وَلَيْسَ لِلْبَدْرِ سِوَى رَوْنَقِ
10. So turn with kindness upon a heart harboring anguish
That flows in my chest like quicksilver
١٠. فَاعْطِفْ عَلَى قَلْبٍ بِهِ لَوْعَةٌ
يَنْزُو لَهَا فِي الصَّدْرِ كَالزِّئْبَقِ
11. Nearly rejecting passion each time
Lightning flashes from the clouds
١١. يَكَادُ يَرْفَضُّ هَوىً كُلَّمَا
لاحَ لَهُ الْبَرْقُ مِنَ الأَبْرَقِ
12. Protect it from whatever passion you wish
If there was in it one who could shelter or protect
١٢. حِمىً بِهِ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ صَبْوَةٍ
لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِ مَنْ يَفِي أَوْ يَقِي
13. The horsemen surround it, houris of the tents
O you who saw the lovely one moving rhythmically
١٣. حَاطَتْ بِهِ الْفُرْسانُ حُورَ الْمَها
يَا مَنْ رَأَى الرَّبْرَبَ فِي الفَيْلَقِ
14. Each coquette sways like the blue shimmering mirage
Darting in the meadows from her boughs
١٤. مِنْ كُلِّ هَيْفَاءَ كَخُوطِ الْقَنَا
بِلَحْظَةٍ كَاللَّهْذَمِ الأَزْرَقِ
15. She moves elegantly as a banner in the wind
I glance at her while she is occupied
١٥. تَخْطِرُ فِي الْفَيْنَانِ مِنْ فَرْعِهَا
فَهْيَ عَلَى التَّمْثِيلِ كَالْبَيْرَقِ
16. Like the prisoner looking toward the freed
She does not see me, though I
١٦. أَرْنُو إِلَيْهَا وَهْيَ فِي شَأْنِهَا
كَنَظْرَةِ الْعَانِي إِلَى الْمُطْلَقِ
17. Recite what my words express
O lady of the anklets, would a glance
١٧. فَمَا تَرَانِي صَانِعاً وَهْيَ لا
تَسْمَعُ مَا أَسْرُدُ مِنْ مَنْطِقِي
18. Revive me, o lady of the anklets?
If you wish to take what remains of me
١٨. يَا رَبَّةَ الْقُرْطَقِ هَلْ نَظْرَةٌ
أَحْيَا بِهَا يَا رَبَّةَ الْقُرْطَقِ
19. Then do so and be done
The blows of love have left me
١٩. إِنْ كَانَ يُرْضِيكِ ذَهَابُ الَّذِي
أَبْقَيْتِ مِنِّي فَخُذِي مَا بَقِي
20. Nothing but an echo between scorched encampments
Once before love I could withstand fears
٢٠. لَمْ تُبْقِ مِنِّي صَدَمَاتُ الْهَوَى
غَيْرَ صَدىً بَيْنَ حَشاً مُحْرَقِ
21. And plunge into danger, never hesitating
But today I have become powerless
٢١. قَدْ كُنْتُ قَبْلَ الْحُبِّ ذَا تُدْرَأ
أَقْتَحِمُ الْهَوْلَ وَلَمْ أَفْرَقِ
22. Outpaced even by the humble ant
Love is a penetrating sovereign, its rule
٢٢. فَالْيَوْمَ أَصْبَحْتُ عَدِيمَ الْقُوَى
يَسْبِقُنِي الذَّرُّ وَلَمْ أَلْحَقِ
23. Extends from the west of the earth to the east
So let the critic say what he wishes
٢٣. وَالْحُبُّ مَلْكٌ نافِذٌ حُكْمُهُ
مِنْ مَغْرِبِ الأَرْضِ إِلَى الْمَشْرِقِ
24. For passion is the wont of the split-lipped poet
If I were not of noble and free character
٢٤. فَلْيَقُلِ الْعَاذِلُ مَا شَاءَهُ
فَالْعِشْقُ دَأْبُ الشَّاعِرِ الْمُفْلِقِ
25. I would not have courted poetry or passion
٢٥. لَوْ لَمْ أَكُنْ ذَا شِيمَةٍ حُرَّةٍ
لَمْ أَقْرِضِ الشِّعْرَ وَلَمْ أَعْشَقِ