1. He saw beauty in lovers enacting his command
So he revolted, and his eyes turned away in betrayal
١. رَأى الحُسْنَ في العُشَّاقِ مُمتَثلَ الأَمْرِ
فَجارَ وَنابتْ عَنْهُ عَيْنَاهُ في الغَدْرِ
2. And he said, take this separation that brings joy with renunciation
So I said, take this patience that brings joy through separation
٢. وَقال خُذِ الهَجْرَ المُبرِّحَ بِالحَشَا
فَقُلْتُ خُذ الصَّبْرَ المُبرِّحَ بالهَجْرِ
3. And for me in you is a scene between closeness and distance
That shows me the truthfulness of separation in the lies of intimacy
٣. وَلِي فِيكَ بَيْنَ القُرْبِ وَالبُعْدِ مَشْهدٌ
يُريني صِدْقَ الهَجْرِ في كَذِبِ السِّرِّ
4. I imagine what I choose of you in my thoughts
So it grants me union even if you are not aware
٤. أُمَثِّلُ ما أَخْتَارُ مِنْكَ بِخاطِري
فَيَمْنَحُنِي وَصْلاً وَإِنْ كُنْتَ لا تَدْرِي
5. O our loved ones, have you forgotten and abandoned passion
That alleviates the heat of yearning in us over embers
٥. أَأَحْبابَنا بِنْتُمْ وَخَلَّفْتُمُ الهَوَى
يُملل حَرَّ الشَّوْقِ مِنَّا على الجَمْرِ
6. Come back to the old covenant, we will renew it
And revive with it the dead passion, good diffusion
٦. هَلُمَّ إِلى العَهْدِ القَديمِ نُجِدُّهُ
وَنُنْشِي به مَيْتَ الهَوَى طَيب النَّشْرِ
7. For we have accepted you in every state
As loved ones we do not ask you till the end of time
٧. فَنَحْنُ قَبِلناكُمْ على كُلّ حَالَةٍ
أَحبَّاءَ لا نَسْلوكُمْ آخِرَ الدَّهْرِ
8. And we have done what befits loyalty
So do not do what does not befit betrayal
٨. وَنَحْنُ فَعَلْنَا ما يَليقُ مِنَ الوَفَا
فَلا تَفْعَلُوا ما لا يَلِيقُ مِنَ الغَدْرِ
9. And even if beauty seduced us intentionally
We hope ease will run its course
٩. وَإِنَّا وَإِنْ أَغْرَى بِنَا الحُسْنُ عَامِداً
نُؤَمِّلُ أَنْ يُجْرِي بِنَا اليُسْرُ ما يُجْرِي
10. I ask you, has the land been tilled after us
And has the rain poured in its plains
١٠. أُسائِلُكُمْ هَلْ رَوَّضَ الشِّعْبُ بَعْدَنَا
وَهَلْ سَحَّ في سَاحَاتِهِ وَابِلُ القَطْرِ
11. And have its roots that compensate
With wisdom for pasture instead of flowers grown in it
١١. وَهَلْ سَنَحَتْ فِيهِ جَآذِرُهُ الَّتي
تُعوِّضُ بالأَلْبابِ مَرْعىً عَن الزَّهْرِ
12. Like planets, people said they are maidens
Who donned our gazes and pearls
١٢. كَواكِبُ قالَ النَّاسُ هُنَّ كَواعِبٌ
تَقَلَّدْنَ بَالأَحْدَاقِ مِنَّا وَبِالدُّرِّ
13. They wounded my eyelids with tears, but in fact
They robbed necklaces of pearls from that wounding
١٣. نَحرْنَ جُفُونِي بالدُّمُوعِ وإِنَّما
سَلَبْنَ عُقُودَ الدُّرِّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ النَّحْرِ
14. May God protect a soul how much passion burdens it
And I gain thereby the sweetness of things from the bitter
١٤. رَعَى اللَّهُ نَفْساً كم أُكَلِّفُهَا الهَوَى
وَأَجْنِي بِها حُلْوَ الأُمُورِ مِنَ المُرِّ
15. And I meet the turns of fate looking ahead for it
So you do not see its effect except in my chest
١٥. وَأَلْقَى صُرُوفَ الدَّهْرِ مُسْتَقْبِلاً لَها
فَلسْتَ تَرى تَأْثِيرَها في سِوَى صَدْرِي
16. And my love has grayed before it finishes for him
Except twenty five years from the age
١٦. وَقَدْ شَابَ فَوْدي قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنْقَضِي لَهُ
سِوَى الخَمْسِ والعِشْرِينَ مِنْ مُدَّةِ العُمْرِ
17. I love the flowing of water guarded by the thickets
And I crave the lively commotion forbidden by the night patrols
١٧. أُحِبُّ ورُودَ الماءِ يُحْرَسُ بالظُّبَى
وَأَهْوَى ازْدِيارِ الحَيِّ يُمْنَعُ بالسُّمْرِ
18. And I have the aspiration that the son of Abdel Zaher had
With which my grandfather was generous and with which he elevated my status
١٨. وَلِي بِابْنِ عَبْدِ الظَّاهِرِ الهِمَّةُ الَّتي
أَجَادَ بِهَا جَدِّي وأَعْلى بِهَا قَدْرِي
19. He is righteousness except if you seek him
You will ascertain that the sea is of that land
١٩. هُوَ البَرُّ إِلَّا أَنَّه إِنْ قَصَدْتَهُ
تَيَقَّنْتَ أَنَّ البَحْرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ البَرِّ
20. My heart shares with him its longing
So the scale of passion tips toward him over the other half
٢٠. يُقاسِمني قَلْبِي إِلَيْهِ اشْتِياقُهُ
فَيَرْجَحُ شَطْرَ الشَّوْقِ مِنْهُ عَلَى الشَّطْرِ