1. لا تلمني فليس يجدي الملامْ

    إن لوم المتيَّمين حرامْ

    Do not blame me, for reproach is of no avail.

    Indeed, reproaching the love-stricken is forbidden.

  2. فبجسمي لا جسمك السُّقم

    في الحب وقلبي لا قلبك المستهامْ

    For sickness is in my body, not yours,

    in love; and my heart, not yours, is love-possessed.

  3. وبروحي غضبان مازال في

    حبيه يعصي العذال واللّوام

    And I would ransom with my soul an angry one who still, in

    his two loves, defies reproachers and blamers.

  4. سيّئ عن جماله طلبُ الصبر

    جميلٌ فيه الأسى والغرام

    Ugly is seeking patience away from his beauty;

    beautiful are grief and passion for him.

  5. يتثنَّى كرمحه اللحظُ في

    عشّاقه والقوام قوام

    His glance sways like his spear among

    his lovers; his stature is stature indeed.

  6. فارسيُّ الأنساب ما عهدهُ في

    الحبّ عهدٌ ولا الذمام ذمام

    Persian by lineage, his pledge in

    love is no pledge, nor is his bond a bond.

  7. وجههُ كعبةٌ ومن خالهِ الر

    كنُ فماذا يضرّه الاستلام

    His face is a Kaaba, and his mole its

    corner—what harm, then, would touching it do him?

  8. خوَّفتني في حبّه نارُ خدَّيه

    وفيها برد لنا وسلام

    The fire of his cheeks frightened me in loving him,

    yet in it are coolness and peace for us.

  9. خدَّه والقوام والظَّلم لولا

    الظُّلم ورد وبانة ومدام

    His cheek, his stature, and his mouth's moisture—were it not for

    his cruelty—would be a rose, a ben-tree, and wine.

  10. سقمٌ فيه مذهبٌ سقم جسمي

    كيف يشفي من السقام السقام

    A languor in him dispels my body's sickness;

    how can sickness cure sickness?

  11. يا فؤادي أين التسلّي كما

    قلتَ ويا مقلتيَّ أين المنام

    O my heart, where is the solace of which

    you spoke? And O my eyes, where is sleep?

  12. قم نديمي فأجلُ المدام وللغيث

    بكاء وللرياض ابتسام

    Rise, my boon companion, and unveil the wine, while the rain

    weeps and the gardens smile.

  13. حيث وجه الربيع طلقٌ وثغر الـ

    ـكأس وضحٌ قد فضَّ عنهُ الفدام

    Where spring's face is cheerful, and the mouth of the

    cup gleams, its cloth strainer drawn away.

  14. وترى الدوح كالعقود فإن هـ

    ـب نسيمٌ فللعقود انفصام

    And you see the great trees like necklaces; if

    a breeze blows, the necklaces fall apart.

  15. تكتم الأرض تربها عن سطي الـ

    ـسحب وتبدي أسرارها الأكمام

    The earth hides its soil from the assault of the

    clouds, while the flower buds reveal its secrets.

  16. وإذا أنت لم تزورها عروساً

    عاتق السنِّ مهرها الأفهام

    And if you do not visit her as a bride,

    a mature maiden whose dowry is wits,

  17. فلماذا أهدت شمائلها البان

    وقامت تدعو عليها الحمام

    then why has she given the ben-trees her graces,

    and why have the doves risen to pray against her?

  18. حسنَ الزهر منه واخضرَّت

    الآفاق خصباً وابيضت الأيّام

    Through it the flowers grow beautiful, and

    the horizons grow green with plenty, and the days turn white.

  19. وكأن الغدران صفّ دروع

    وقطار السحاب فيها سهام

    And the pools seem like a row of coats of mail,

    and the clouds' raindrops are arrows in them.

  20. دائم جوده كجود صلاحٍ لك

    في الخلق مستهلٍّ ركامُ

    Ceaseless in its bounty, like Salah's bounty to you,

    is a massed cloud pouring rain amid creation.