جَلا الصبُّحُ أَونيّ الكَرى عَن جفونهِ

جَلا الصبُّحُ أَونيّ الكَرى عَن جفونهِ

وَفي صَدرهِ مِثلُ السِهامِ القَواصِدِ

وَفي صَدرهِ مِثلُ السِهامِ القَواصِدِ

Dawn swept sleep’s languor from his eyelids,

Dawn cleared sleep’s twin burdens from his eyelids,

while in his breast was something like arrows flying true.

while in his breast lay the like of arrows aimed straight.

تَمكَّنَ مِن غِرّاتِهِ الحُبُّ فانتَحى

تَمكَّنَ مِن غِرّاتِهِ الحُبُّ فانتَحى

عَليهِ بأَيدٍ أَيّدات حَواشِدِ

عَليهِ بأَيدٍ أَيّدات حَواشِدِ

Love mastered him through his unguarded moments, then bore down

Love mastered him in his unguarded moments, then bore down

upon him with mighty, massed hands.

upon him with mighty, massed hands.

إِذا خَطَراتُ الشَوقِ قَلَّبنَ قَلبه

إِذا خَطَراتُ الشَوقِ قَلَّبنَ قَلبه

شَدَدنَ بأَنفاس شداد المَصاعِدِ

شَدَدنَ بأَنفاس شداد المَصاعِدِ

Whenever stirrings of longing tossed his heart about,

When stirrings of longing toss his heart about,

they drew it taut with breaths whose ascent was labored.

they tighten their grip with breaths that struggle to rise.

يُذَكِّرهُ خَفضُ الهَوى وَنَعيمُه

يُذَكِّرهُ خَفضُ الهَوى وَنَعيمُه

سَوالِفَ أَيامٍ وَليسَ بِعائدِ

سَوالِفَ أَيامٍ وَليسَ بِعائدِ

The ease of love and its bliss remind him

Love’s ease and bliss remind him

of bygone days—a bliss that will not return.

of days gone by—yet it will not return.