1. كاد يمضي العام يا حل

    و التثني أو تولَّى

    The year has nearly passed, O sweet

    swaying one—or it has already gone.

  2. ما اقتربنا منك إلا

    بالتمني ليس إلا

    We have drawn near to you only

    through wishing—nothing more.

  3. مذ عرفناك عرفنا

    كل حسن وعذابِ

    Since we came to know you, we have known

    all beauty and all torment.

  4. لهب في القلب، فردو

    س لعيني في اقترابي

    Flame in the heart; paradise

    for my eye as I draw near.

  5. غير أنا لا نرى الفر

    دوس إلا رسمَ راسمْ

    Yet we see paradise

    only as a painter’s sketch.

  6. وشربنا من جحيم ال

    حب مُهلا شرب هائم

    And from the inferno of

    love we drank molten metal, as a lovesick wanderer drinks.

  7. لا تلمني أن قلبي

    خانني أو عشقتُكْ

    Do not blame me because my heart

    betrayed me, or because I loved you.

  8. لم يكن منِّي إلا

    أنني قد رأيتُكْ

    All I had done was

    to see you.

  9. فعددنا الحسن طرًّا

    فهو فرد وهو أنتا

    So we reckoned all beauty:

    it is one alone, and it is you.

  10. أين حسنٌ كان يجل

    وه النهار هل لبستَهْ

    Where is the beauty that

    daylight once unveiled? Have you worn it?

  11. هل ورثت الصبح والصب

    ح مُنار أم قتلتَهْ

    Have you inherited the dawn, while the dawn

    is radiant—or have you slain it?

  12. تتهادى ويح قلبي

    في خطاك لستَ تدري

    You sway gracefully—alas, my heart!—

    as you step; you do not know

  13. أن قلبًا دون قيد ال

    رمح منكا قد تحطمْ

    that a heart, less than the length

    of a spear from you, has been shattered.

  14. زده داءً لا شفى الله

    جواه كم أساء

    Add to its sickness—may God not heal

    its burning grief! How wrong he was

  15. من دعاه للتصابي

    مَن دعاه زده داء

    who called it to youthful dalliance!

    Who called it? Add to its sickness.

  16. أو فحسب القلب ما طم

    م وأربى لا تُبِده

    Or the heart has had enough of what

    has overwhelmed it and overflowed; do not destroy it.

  17. قد دعاه الله للحب

    ب فلبَّى لا تزده

    God has called it to love,

    so it answered; give it no more.

  18. نحن قوم يا حبيبي

    قد خلقنا للجمالِ

    We are a people, O my beloved,

    created for beauty.

  19. إن أجاد الله في الخل

    ق أجدنا في المقالِ

    If God has excelled in

    creation, we have excelled in speech.

  20. صاغنا الله لشدو

    وغناء حيث كنا

    God fashioned us for song

    and singing, wherever we may be.

  21. ونهانا عن جمود

    وجفاء فانتهينا

    And He forbade us rigidity

    and coldness, so we desisted.

  22. قال غنوا وصفوا خل

    قي البديعْ في القصيدِ

    He said: “Sing, and describe

    My wondrous creation in verse,

  23. واطلبوا أجركم عن

    د الربيع والخدودِ

    and seek your reward

    from spring and cheeks.

  24. ليس يُعلي آيَ فني

    غيركم حين تعلو

    None exalts the marvels of My art

    but you, when they rise high.

  25. شكرها منكم ومنها

    شكركم ذاك عدل

    Your thanks to them, and their

    thanks to you—that is justice.

  26. ما لكم أجر من الدن

    يا سواه فاغنموه

    You have no reward from

    the world but this—so claim it.”

  27. يا ذوي الحسن بذا أو

    صى الإله فاسمعوه

    O you endowed with beauty, this is what

    God enjoined; so heed Him.

  28. قد وفَيْنَا دَيْنَنا فأو

    فوا الديونا هل رضيتم

    We have paid our debt, so

    pay your debts. Are you content?

  29. وشدونا فتعالوا

    أسعدونا لا شقيتم

    And we have sung, so come;

    make us happy—may you know no misery!

  30. ما أتم العيش لو تص

    فو القوافي والغرامُ

    How perfect life would be if

    rhymes and love were unclouded!

  31. كان في الدنيا جمال

    لا يُعَد ثم لُحتا

    There was beauty in the world

    beyond counting; then you appeared.

  32. لستَ تدري أي نار

    إذ أراك ضِمنَ صدري

    You do not know what fire

    burns within my breast when I see you,

  33. ضاحكًا يفترُّ نور ال

    بشر عنكا كيف تعلمْ

    laughing, as the light of

    gladness breaks from you—how could you know?

  34. شاعر يشدو ومحبو

    ب يوافي والسلامُ

    A poet sings, and a beloved

    comes to meet him—and that is all.