1. A branch whereabove the full moon shone
Or a gazelle gone to attack a lion

2. Or a beautiful one bending playfully
Where he became alone in the wilderness

3. The idol of beauty none has seen
Except as a lover he worshipped

4. O the sea of his beauty's charm
Its waves in the body cast forth foam

5. The fire of his cheeks makes lovers
None saw it except bowing down

6. And when from his face appeared
The unseen's presence we sought help

7. My ignorance became through him knowledge
My loss and misguidance became guidance

8. Alas his harshness despite my passion
For his love though love destroyed me

9. I said O my Master show me generosity
With union; he said no, never

10. I said then promise it as consolation
He said one needing to fulfill a promise

11. I said so allow me fantasy in yearning
He said you have no sleep of eye

12. I said what will you do with me then
He said what I choose for long

13. I said take my soul; he said the soul is mine
Leave its claim and bring the body

14. And leave the matter to its Master
For the beloved in love has a hand

15. All who love a beautiful face
See nothing but misery and sorrow

16. So be patient if you wish or die if you wish
How many before us melted skin by skin

17. I am Moses, love is my Lord show me
Through you that I may see a startled fawn

18. The embers blazed on his cheek
The nearer I drew the further they seemed

19. Perhaps from it I may catch a spark
Or my heart may see guidance in the fire

20. Arise, reflect O heedless one, for
The Merciful did not create this beauty in vain

21. And expose yourself to his love for he
Came from the side of mystery softly

22. And if one without insight blames you
Then ruin the country upon him

23. Where are the blamers from the lovers?
The lovers are not equal to the hostile

24. Whenever my hearing was pierced by my critic
My blame increased the echo of love

25. So it was as if he sought from blame
My infatuation by tongue's knot

26. Does the fool wish to reform what
The state of love's people has corrupted?

27. But the people of love, he is their mirror
And he in them, his state witnessed

28. Then when the matter became difficult he threw
Himself from his ignorance and criticized

29. And claimed love though he did not obtain it
And was envious of love's people

30. He stood therein frequently blaming them
Has he not feared God the Eternal?

31. He who does not know the pleasures of love
The beauty of my heart's beloved is unpolished

32. Now my heart is captive to a fawn
Who sees no compassion in killing for love

33. His face paradise in our eyes
His cheek fire in my heart and stake

34. He did not cease to spurn me and I wore out
Upon his love my life's new clothes

35. And how I wasted my body in sickness
And climbed the rugged hills in passion

36. And if in his love I die then I
Lived after death the life of the happy

37. O may God water an era with love
And nurture life with the loved one in plenty

38. Long have I been obedient to love's passion
Fearing none in wasting my time

39. Where the delicate gazelles distracted me
And after refusal showed me friendship

40. And kohl was blended with eye
And after it I never complained of rheum

41. Where the moons of beauty rose
Shining and for them my soul is ransom

42. And the boughs of delight bent
So the bird of heart rushed to them

43. Where the face of bliss turned to us
Driving away care and grief from us

44. And cups of companionship were passed round
And by us roses were offered as gifts

45. In gardens laughing with flowers
Whenever the clouds wept, it dripped sap

46. The breeze shook from its boughs
When it stirred them, quivering

47. For this the birds grew great and the stream
Wore emerald on account of them

48. And the morning breeze reminds us of youth's time
Would that yesterday for me were tomorrow

49. Would that time's rain returned with what
It had before this, I knew

50. O friends in the battlefields of love
Help me if my patience is lost

51. And recall for me a support I know
I find no equal support

52. My tears ran out from his disdain
And my longing while the coals lasted not

53. He dwells in the heart, rather I
Am he, no but he, besides me he was

54. The speaker erred who said he changed
And the one who said we united

55. But the beloved exists and no
Lover besides mistaken purpose

56. I have a secret love in Kadhima
Resident in this breast and liver

57. And today through him I am known
So let my foe perish and fret with envy

58. I am love's scholar, whoever asks me
About his love, finds me studious

59. I am the judge of lovers' canon
Every rule between them is my praise

60. So he whom I forbid suffers, and he
To whom I give right is fortunate

61. Except that I am with people ignorant
Of my matter, and ignorance is an enemy