1. Had she kept contacting me, I'd not have died,
Or hadn’t she contacted me, so let me die for her as I have lived.

2. To whom should I bequeath the inheritance of passion for her?
Never! Never! I’d please no one with her.

3. And my passion has countless tears,
How can I count what I've not counted?

4. And if you doubt that I've been killed by her,
Consult fate or ask the spy.

5. For her mouth, cheek, and figure
Have over me wreaked havoc as desire wished.

6. I was bewitched by that eye that never slept
And burned by that cheek that never cooled.

7. Her mouth's denial of my blood is fruitless,
For her cheek has testified to the judge of beauty.

8. I have seen each wonder of her coquetry
To the point I saw wine and cold in her mouth.

9. Had it not been for her eyelashes, who'd have taught the gazelle coquetry
Or the branch grace without her swaying gait?

10. The full moon is shamefaced at the sight of her
And the pale narcissus complains of eye disease.

11. While unaware, her eyes asleep are dearer to me
Than my own awake, however bleary.

12. Tell Heaven I have found no bliss in you,
My joy in you is done, completely spent.

13. She said: “My beauty is a blessing if it lasts,
And if you want me, become a body.”

14. While you weep dewdrops during daytime,
Rarely do sun and dew combine.

15. My eyes lowered not out of pride when I saw her,
But in awe of that beauty, humbly bent.

16. My heart stirred not with joy for her,
But quaked for fear of parting from her.

17. Through love a man's slave becomes his master,
And a gazelle contends until it bests a lion.

18. She wondered: “Did I tell her of my tears
Or of my panting breaths that blew the fires?”

19. She was cross with me - how many trails of tears
Her cheek left that scattered my tears' traces!

20. I see none worthy to kiss her smile
Save Abd al-Rahim's kiss, his hand.

21. A hand - if the rainclouds could kiss it,
They'd never thirst again.

22. A hand whose bounty makes the rain exclaim,
The sea ebb, and the night envy.

23. A hand with a fame like hers among all creatures,
Present for absent and witness alike.

24. A hand - God's hand created it to spread grace
Or defeat my foe, or return a stray.

25. It gives oceans yet no cloudiness is seen,
Casts spells yet no sorcery manifests.

26. The best of all people, their lord and their superior -
Abd al-Rahim, none compared to him.

27. Of all who fixed affairs when damaged,
Rarely can what is damaged be fixed.

28. He awakened the fortune of the fortunate when it slumbered,
And who can wake good fortune if it sleeps?

29. He drove away devils in revolt,
And no revolting devil can be driven away.

30. They strive to fulfill their duty to him,
Yet his due cannot be paid, even in worship.

31. Those envious of him love him like loyalists -
Even the envious wish to be his ransom.

32. Like sea in spate, rain in torrents,
Star in sky, full moon when it appears.

33. He sits invested while fates stand attendant -
Let one sit if he would sit as he did.

34. Kings come to him in throngs,
Prostrating themselves at his door.

35. They have seen Moses' fire in his insight
And come only to light their torch.

36. They have composed panegyrics for him,
Yet they want his opinions for their codes.

37. No person came to guide him
But was overwhelmed by his wisdom.

38. No kingdom prospered for a king
Unless he followed the path he took.

39. Nor were his triumphs quenched with cool victory
Save when he pursued the course he chose.

40. His insightful opinion leads surely
To correct conclusions, awake or dozing.

41. He enriched kings with his writings instead of their armies -
No pen but conquered lands.

42. At his script, the lance of fortune shook wildly
As you see it, and the Indian blade shuddering.

43. See how his eloquent writings receive phrases embroidered,
Then see the armies receive the armies charging.

44. His reasoning solves what opinions make complex -
They cannot solve what he has tied.

45. Fate showed him what is hidden to the keenest eye,
And good fortune brought near all that is far.

46. And after this - the further I am
The more fires flare up in my heart and blaze.

47. He left me no heart, liver, patience, resolve,
No eyelids, no composure, and no fortitude.

48. And though some people count the arrows of estrangement,
My heart cannot reckon that count.

49. O you whose absence made me wander, the time drags -
O you whose absence was prolonged - how brief your presence!

50. Have you not yearned for Egypt that suffers your loss?
Have you not wearied of fortunate Syria?

51. O sovereign of my soul, why have you neglected it?
O conqueror of my heart, why not take my body?

52. You left me bewildered, an exile at home,
Lonely among kin, unique among all people.

53. How I strove with my utmost to reach him!
Whoever strives is right, even if mistaken.

54. You promised auspicious stars shining upon us -
And one like you fulfills his promises.