وَغَريبَةٍ هَشَّت إِلَيَّ غَريرَةٍ

وَغَريبَةٍ هَشَّت إِلَيَّ غَريرَةٍ

فَوَدِدتُ لَو نُسِجَ الضِياءُ ظَلاما

فَوَدِدتُ لَو نُسِجَ الضِياءُ ظَلاما

And a guileless stranger greeted me gladly,

so I wished that light could be woven into darkness.

طَرَأَت عَلَيَّ مَعَ المَشيبِ تَشوقُني

طَرَأَت عَلَيَّ مَعَ المَشيبِ تَشوقُني

شَيخاً كَما كانَت تَشوقُ غُلاما

شَيخاً كَما كانَت تَشوقُ غُلاما

She came upon me in my gray-haired years, stirring my longing,

old as I was, just as she once stirred me as a boy.

مَقبولَةٍ قَبَّلتُها مِن لَوعَةٍ

مَقبولَةٍ قَبَّلتُها مِن لَوعَةٍ

نَظَراً يَكونُ إِذا اِعتَبَرتُ كَلاما

نَظَراً يَكونُ إِذا اِعتَبَرتُ كَلاما

She was welcome; I kissed her out of burning longing,

with a gaze that, when I consider it, becomes speech.

عَذَرَت وَقَد أَحلَلتُها عَن نِسوَةٍ

عَذَرَت وَقَد أَحلَلتُها عَن نِسوَةٍ

كِبراً وَأَوسَعتُ الزَمانَ سَلاما

كِبراً وَأَوسَعتُ الزَمانَ سَلاما

She excused me: I had given her the place of women,

in my old age, and bidden time a long farewell.

عَبِقَت وَقَد حَنَّ الرَبيعُ عَلى النَدى

عَبِقَت وَقَد حَنَّ الرَبيعُ عَلى النَدى

كَرَماً فَأَهداها إِلَيَّ سَلاما

كَرَماً فَأَهداها إِلَيَّ سَلاما

She was fragrant; spring had shown tenderness toward the dew,

in its generosity, and so sent her to me as a greeting.