ما بأراكِ الحمى إلى سلمه

ما بأراكِ الحمى إلى سلمه

ما يبرئُ المستهام من سقمه

ما يبرئُ المستهام من سقمه

From the preserve’s arak trees to its salam trees, there is nothing

What use is your fever to its ascent

that cures the love-distraught of his sickness.

A frenzied man cannot cure his illness

أين شموسُ الضحى إذا متع الصبـ

أين شموسُ الضحى إذا متع الصبـ

ـح وتلك البدور في ظلمه

ـح وتلك البدور في ظلمه

What are the suns of forenoon, when morning rises high,

Where are the morning suns when youth is enjoyed

beside those full moons in its darkness?

And those full moons in its darkness

من كل غاد في ذمَّة اللحظ وسا

من كل غاد في ذمَّة اللحظ وسا

رٍ بليلٍ في ضوء مبتسمه

رٍ بليلٍ في ضوء مبتسمه

Each goes forth at dawn under the gaze’s protection, and journeys

From every absence pledged to the moment and so

by night in the light of his smile.

Free in the night in its smiling light

آنسَ دار الضلوع ضيف هوى

آنسَ دار الضلوع ضيف هوى

قراه من نحر دمعه بدمه

قراه من نحر دمعه بدمه

A guest of passion enlivened the dwelling of the ribs;

The home of my ribs hosted a guest of passion

his welcome-feast came from slaughtering his tears with his blood.

Who settled there from the flowing of his tears in his blood

وما أخو يومه بكاظمة الشو

وما أخو يومه بكاظمة الشو

ق سوى ليلتي على إضمه

ق سوى ليلتي على إضمه

And his day at longing’s Kazima has no brother

And what like his day suppressing ardor

but my night at his Idam.

Except my nights in their warmth

يعرف قلبي بعد الضلالة ما

يعرف قلبي بعد الضلالة ما

ينكر طرفي منه على قدمه

ينكر طرفي منه على قدمه

My heart, after wandering astray, recognizes what

My heart knows after its misguidance what

my eye finds unfamiliar in it, despite its age.

My gaze denies in its presence

وكيف يبقى مع المحول ولا

وكيف يبقى مع المحول ولا

محلٌ ودمع العشَّاق من ديمه

محلٌ ودمع العشَّاق من ديمه

And how can it endure amid droughts? Yet there is no

And how can it remain with the transfers and no

drought, with lovers’ tears among its steady rains.

Place and the tears of lovers are eternal

عهدي وسمر القنا بأنجمها تحـ

عهدي وسمر القنا بأنجمها تحـ

ـرس بيض الشموس في خيمه

ـرس بيض الشموس في خيمه

I recall it when dusky spears, with their stars, guarded

My covenant and night talk with its stars stand guard

white suns within its tents.

In their tents screening the white suns

من كل وسنان نام عن لاعج الشـ

من كل وسنان نام عن لاعج الشـ

ـوق وما بالحبِّ من ألمه

ـوق وما بالحبِّ من ألمه

Each drowsy one slept, heedless of the burning of longing

From every tooth that slept from painful longing and what

and of all the pain that love contains.

Pain is with love from its agonies

فالغيث في وجنتي حيا يدهِ

فالغيث في وجنتي حيا يدهِ

والبرقُ في أضلعي سنا ضرمه

والبرقُ في أضلعي سنا ضرمه

So the rain upon my cheek is the rain of his hand,

So rain alive in my cheeks its hand

and the lightning within my ribs the radiance of his blaze.

And lightning slender in my ribs its spear

من لي بلدان القوام أهيف مجـ

من لي بلدان القوام أهيف مجـ

ـدولُ مجال الوشاح منهضمه

ـدولُ مجال الوشاح منهضمه

Who will bring me one supple of stature, slender-waisted and well-knit,

Who do I have in the enduring countries the most

with a slender, hollowed waist where his sash passes?

Graceful in stance with a torn cloak

سمحٌ أراهُ طوع العناق وقد

سمحٌ أراهُ طوع العناق وقد

ألصقتُ من لوعتي فمي بفمه

ألصقتُ من لوعتي فمي بفمه

Gracious, I see him yielding to an embrace, while I have

Forgiving I see compliant to embrace and I

pressed my mouth to his out of my burning anguish.

Have touched my mouth to his from my agony

فاسمع وحدّث عن ماء غادية

فاسمع وحدّث عن ماء غادية

قبستُ نار الغرام من شبمه

قبستُ نار الغرام من شبمه

So listen, and tell of the water of a morning raincloud:

So listen and speak of the passing water

I drew the fire of passion from its chill.

I have kindled the fire of love from its flame

من مثله حين يذكر الحسنُ في

من مثله حين يذكر الحسنُ في

الحسنِ ومن كالوزير في كرمه

الحسنِ ومن كالوزير في كرمه

Who is his equal when al-Hasan is mentioned for

The like of him when beauty recalls beauty

beauty? And who is like the vizier in his generosity?

And who like the minister in his generosity