Sol 6.1

  1. ولقد دخلتُ الدير أطلب شخصه

    فرأيتُ ثمَّ أهِلَّةً وشموسا

    And indeed I entered the monastery in search of him,

    and there I saw crescent moons and suns.

  2. ورأيتُه فحسبتُه من بينهم

    لما بدا لجماله بلقيسا

    And I saw him among them, and took him

    for Bilqis when he appeared, such was his beauty.

  3. فشهقت ثم صعقت ثم سألتُه

    ما الاسم قال وقد تبسم موسى

    So I gasped, then swooned, then asked him:

    “What is your name?” He said with a smile, “Moses.”

  4. قلتُ استمع منّي بحرمة من مضى

    أعني أخاك أبا المكارم عيسى

    I said, “Listen to me, by the sanctity of him who has gone before—

    I mean your brother, the father of noble deeds, Jesus.

  5. قُل لي فإني مذ عشقتُكَ سيدي

    قد ظَلتُ في شَرَك الهوى محبوسا

    Tell me, for since I fell in love with you, my lord,

    I have remained imprisoned in the snare of love.”

  6. فأجابني أو ما علمتَ بأنّني

    ذوَّبتُ قبلك في هواي نفوسا

    Then he answered me, “Did you not know that I

    have melted souls before you in their love for me?

  7. اذهب فلستَ بنائلٍ ما رمتَه

    حتى تُغَيَّب في الثرى مرموسا

    Go, for you will not attain what you have sought

    until you are hidden in the earth, buried.”

  8. ثم انثنى يتلو الزبور تشاغُلاً

    عنّي وخافَ رَهابِناً وقُسُوسا

    Then he turned away, reciting the Psalms, pretending to be occupied

    to avoid me, and he feared monks and priests.

  9. واللَهِ لولا اللَهُ أحذرُ سخطَهُ

    حقاً لصرتُ لأجله قسيِّسا

    By God, were it not for God, whose wrath I fear,

    truly, I would have become a priest for his sake.