1. My poems melt the tears of my eyelids with the blood
Of memories of loved ones and friends
١. مَزَجت دُموع جُفونِهِ بِدِماءِ
ذِكراهُ لِلأَحباب وَالقَرناءِ
2. Creeping poison runs through my limbs
From the chapter of longing and separation
٢. دَنف يَدُبُّ السُمّ في أَعضائِهِ
مِن سورة الأَشواق وَالبَرحاءِ
3. Suffering has reached his joints, uprooting
The body, and the fire has reached the allies
٣. وَصل الضَنا أَوصالَهُ مُستَأصِلاً
لِلجسم وَصل النار لِلحلفاءِ
4. With a wounded, averted glance
Protected from worries and all kinds of hardships
٤. ذو مُقلَةٍ مَقروحَةٍ مُتَجنب
عَنها الكَرى وَكّافة الأَنواءِ
5. Restless, anxious, his night is a cloud
And his day refuses to sleep
٥. مُتَمَلمِلٌ قَلِقٌ سَحابة لَيلِهِ
وَنَهارِهِ متمنع الإغفاءِ
6. It's as if the thorns of sadness are his pillow
And his bedding is made of hot sands
٦. فَكَأَن مِن شَوك القتاد وسادهُ
وَكَأَنَّ مَضجعَهُ مِن الرَمضاءِ
7. He shows the weakness of the exhausted for consolation
Far from his happy and comforting companions
٧. يُبدي ضراعة مُستَكين لِلنَوى
عَن مُسعَديهِ وَمُؤنسيهِ نائي
8. I have never forgotten a day that passed me in affliction
The abode of beauty and the land of noblemen
٨. لَم أَنسَ يَوماً مَرَّ لي في جَلق
مَثوى الجَمال وَمَوطن الظُرَفاءِ
9. In a garden marked with calm luxuries
But with the wrestling places of martyrs
٩. في رَوضَة مَوسومة بتراتع ال
آرام بَل بِمُصارع الشُهَداءِ
10. Numbered with blooming flowers, their sides
Like green brocade
١٠. رقمت بِزَهرٍ يانع جَنباتِها
كَالوَشي في الدِيباجَة الخَضراءِ
11. Her breaths are musky, as if
Her breeze was spreading ambergris
١١. مَسكية أَنفاسُها فَكَأَنَّما
هَبَت نَسائِمُها بِنَشر كَباءِ
12. Her bracelets flow over camphor and
Agate from soil and pebbles
١٢. يَنسابُ جَولَها عَلى الكافور وَال
عقبان مِن تُرب وِمِن حَصباءِ
13. The smiles of her light laughed when
The clouds cried with the tears of clouds in her
١٣. ضَحكت مَباسم نورَها لَما بَكى
فيها الغَمام بِأَدمُع الأَنداءِ
14. The north wind blows her breeze sick
Specifically afflicting the dead with the living
١٤. تَسري بِها ريح الشمال عَليلة
فَتَخص مَوتى الهَم بِالأَحياءِ
15. And it drags trails there with an alluring
Touch that moistens the pure
١٥. وَتَجُرُّ أَذيالاً هُناكَ بَليلةً
تَندى لَمس وَرانك الأَفياءِ
16. Between the tone of his clear diction
And the trembling of the lute and the warbling of the turtledove
١٦. ما بَينَ نَغمة مَنطق بِبنانِهِ ال
وَتَر الفَصيح وَرَنة الوَرقاءِ
17. And the longing of the lonely soul blowing life into
The slain of passion, ectsasy and desire
١٧. وَحَنين نَأي يَنفخ الأَرواح في
صَرعى العَنا وَالوَجد وَالاَهواءِ
18. And the imprisoned heart sings with the most painful tune and melody
And the turtle-dove rushes to console
١٨. وَمُغَرّد فيهِ اِشتياق مُتيم
يَشدو بِأَشجى مَنطق وَغِناءِ
19. With a nightingale in a white pearl
And our drinking companion is a gazelle moving between us
١٩. وَمقرطق يَسعى إِلى النَدماءِ
بِعَقيقة في دُرة بَيضاءِ
20. Like the moon between the stars of Gemini
You always see the water of life flowing
٢٠. وَنَديمنا ظَبيٌ غَريرٌ بَينَنا
كَالبَدر بَينَ كَواكب الجَوزاء
21. On his cheek, graced with bounty and shyness
Magic worships his glances and etiquette serves
٢١. أَبَداً تَرى ماءَ الحَياة بِخَدِهِ
مترقرِقاً مِن نعمة وَحياءِ
22. His words with strange news
His eyelids attract the dreams of men
٢٢. السُحُرُ يَعبد لَحظُهُ وَالظَرف يَخ
دم لَفظَهُ بِغَرائب الأَنباءِ
23. With determination, charm, and coyness
The intoxication of childhood is in his delight, as if
٢٣. تَستلّ أَحلام الرِجال جُفونَهُ
بِعَزائِمِ التَرنيق وَالأَغضاءِ
24. The hand of dawn played with his coat
And the batting of his eyes moves the worker of his body
٢٤. نَشوان مِن سُكر الصِبى فَكَأَنَّما
لَعبت بِمعطفِهِ يَد الصَهباءِ
25. Like the breeze shaking the slender branches
Of mingled joints, a tempting refusal
٢٥. وَيَهز لِمح الطَرف عامل قَدهِ
هَزّ النَسائِمِ بانةُ الجَرعاءِ
26. Synchronised movements and limbs
His limbs grew on what his imaginations deposited
٢٦. خنث المَفاصل مطمع متمنع
مُتناسب الحَركات وَالأَعضاءِ
27. Of gentleness and clarity
And the tears of lovers shine on his cheek
٢٧. أَعضاؤُهُ نَمَت عَلى ما اِستَودَعَت
أَوهامُهُ مِن رِقة وَصَفاءِ
28. Crowding the eyes of the viewer
If young girls with little experience saw him
٢٨. وَيَلوح دَمع العاشِقين بِخَدِهِ
مُتَزاحِماً أَبَداً لِطَرف الرائي
29. They would be crazed by the magic of his dark eyes
And our sitting around his pond was like
٢٩. لَو أَبصَرَتهُ القاصِرات العين لاف
تَتَنَت بِسحر المُقلة النَجلاءِ
30. The bracelet around the wrist of a beauty
When he saw my anxiety from the closeness of my watcher
٣٠. وَجُلوسَنا مِن حَول بَركَتِها كَما
دارَ السوار بِمعصم الحَسناءِ
31. Like the anxiety of the sick from the rising darkness
And he saw my glances not passing by his face
٣١. لَما رَأى قَلَقي لِقُرب رَقيبِهِ
قَلق العَليل لِطَلعة الظَلماءِ
32. Except by stealth, fearing the guardians
And the breaths of my burning passion leaving me
٣٢. وَرَأى لحاظي لا تَمُرُّ بِوَجهِهِ
إِلّا اِختِلاساً خشية الرَقباءِ
33. Feeling the flames of longing in my intestines
He gestured to me with his eyes
٣٣. وَتَنفَس الصَعداءِ مني مشعراً
بِتَوَقُد الأَشواق في الأَحشاءِ
34. In a sign so subtle the vigilant would miss it
Look at my image reflected at you in the water
٣٤. وَرَأى سَوابق عبرَتي فَضاحة
قَد قَربت سرّي إِلى الإِفشاء
35. If you fear the eyes of those seated
So I kept looking at his image in its ripples
٣٥. أَومى إِليَّ بِطَرفِهِ إِيماءَةً
خَفيت لِرقتها عَن النَدماءِ
36. As he conversed secretly with me
I complain to him of what I have suffered and he complains
٣٦. إِنظُر إِلى شَخصي بِها متملياً
إِن كُنتَ تَخشى أَعيُن الجُلَساءِ
37. To me through intuition and gesture
But the watcher doubted my gazing, and said
٣٧. فَظَللت أَنظُر شَخصَهُ في مائِها
وَيخصني بِالأُنس وَالسَرّاءِ
38. What do you see in the water, my lord?
Come, the pearls of literature are subtle -
٣٨. أَشكو إِلَيهِ ما لَقيت وَيَشتَكي
ما نالَهُ بِالوَحي وَالإِيماءِ
39. Why the crying at a time of crying?
So I answered him: My lord
٣٩. فَاِرتابَ مِن نَظَر الرَقيب وَقالَ لي
ماذا تَرى في الماءِ يا مَولائي
40. I see the sun of day drowning in water
And my tears flowed to stare at it
٤٠. هِب إِن أَطراق الأَديب لَنُكتة
ماذا البُكاء وَلات حينَ بُكاءِ
41. No, they flowed from youth and suffering
O God, the watcher keeps harming me
٤١. فَأَجَبتُهُ أَني أَرى يا سَيدي
شَمس النهار غَريقة في الماءِ
42. So pelt the watcher with swift punishment
As rain for the days of youth and childhood
٤٢. وَجَرَت لِتَحديقي إِلَيها أَدمُعي
لا إِن جَرَت لِصَبابة وَعَناءِ
43. And for the institute of companions and mixed company
Oh how I wish I knew what turned the beloved
٤٣. يا رَب ما زالَ الرَقيب يَسوءَني
فاِرم الرَقيب بِعاجل الضَرّاءِ
44. To misery, breaking ties and exclusion
O Lord, the separation has been long, leaving nothing
٤٤. سَقياً لِأَيام الصَبابَة وَالصِبى
وَلِمَعهد الأَلاف وَالخَلطاءِ
45. Of my affection save the remnants
And my doctor despaired and his medicine failed me
٤٥. يا لَيتَ شعري ما الَّذي أَغرى الوى
تَعست بَصَدع الشَمل وَالاقصاء
46. And my friend hoped in vain to cure me
And I wore the garments of sickness, emaciated,
٤٦. يا رَب قَد طالَ البُعاد فَلم تَدَع
مِن مُهجَتي الأَشواق غَير زَماء
47. My eyes bleeding from the tears
And time was cruel to my weakness when
٤٧. وَأملَّ سَقي عَوَّدي إِذا يَأست
مني الطَبيب وَطبهُ أَدوائي
48. The ordeal of enemies dragged on
O lord, if time was always against me
٤٨. وَلبست مِن حُلل السقام مورّساً
قَد رَقَّيتُهُ مُقلَتي بِدِماءِ
49. With exclusion from friends
Allow my soul to set free, for it
٤٩. وَقَسى عَلى ضُعفي زَماني عِندَما
لانَت لبثي قسوة الأَعداءِ
50. Has signaled me with its death
Away with a fate whose events
٥٠. يا رَب إِن كان الزَمان مُعانِدي
أَبَداً بِإِقصاءٍ عَن الخَلصاءِ
51. Always plotted against the noblemen and intellectuals
The scoundrels set out on an infamous path
٥١. فائذن لِروحي بِالرواح فَإِنَّما
هِيَ مُهجَتي قَد آذنت بِفَناءِ
52. With treacherous false companions
Their insides filled with resentments
٥٢. تَبّاً لِدَهر لَم تَزَل أَحداثُهُ
تَجني عَلى الأَحرار وَالادباءِ
53. And their chests folded with hatred
When I tested them, I tested their morals
٥٣. دانَ اللئام بسيرة مَذمومة
وَبِصُحبة زور بِغَير وَفاءِ
54. And their villainy confused my principles
And I saw the lowest of them lost in his inferiority
٥٤. أَحشاؤُهُم مَحشوة بِضَغائن
وَضُلوعَهُم تَطوى عَلَيَ الشَحناءِ
55. Lost in my honor and that of my fathers
I gathered with them while living amongst them
٥٥. لَما بَليت بِهُم بَلَوت خِلالَهُم
دَهراً فَحير لُؤمَهُم آرائي
56. And I hid my sorrows and glorified my plight
But whenever a lowlife gains wealth in the world
٥٦. وَرَأَيتُ أَدناهُم يَتيهُ بِنَقصِهِ
لُؤماً فَتهت بِعِزَتي وَأَبائي
57. The vile flock to him
I realised that all the honorable people
٥٧. جايتهم وَأَنا مُقيم بَينَهُم
وَكَتَمت أَحزاني وَعظم بَلائي
58. Were strangers, so I wept for strangers
And I saw my life as a single sea
٥٨. أَو كُلَما أَثرى دَنيٌّ في الوَرى
دانَت لَهُ لُؤماً بَنو حَوّاءِ
59. That does not give generously, so I raged at fate
Or whenever the low gain in the world
٥٩. أَيقَنت أَن ذَوي المروَّة كُلَهُم
في غُربة فَبَكيت لِلغَرباء
60. The vile gather round to honor them
And I saw the lowest lost in his inferiority
٦٠. وَرَأَيت أَيامي بَحرٍ واحِدٍ
لَيسَت تَجود فَحدت بِالحَوباءِ