1. الصبا في سوق أزهار الربيع

    أقبلت تمتار طيب المندل

    The east wind, in the market of spring's flowers,

    Came to procure the fragrance of aloeswood,

  2. فغدت تبتاع منها وتبيع

    نشر ذياك العبير الشمل

    Then began buying from them and selling

    The scent of that all-pervading perfume.

  3. سعد هذا الروض مطلولا الأديم

    والصبا رقت حواشي مرطها

    Saʿd, this garden's skin is bedewed,

    And the east wind's cloak has grown delicate at its edges.

  4. سرحت وفرته كف النسيم

    فهي تفلي جعدها من سبطها

    The breeze's hand has combed its thick locks,

    So she separates her curls from her straight strands.

  5. وإذا رجلت الورد الشميم

    نثرت أوراقه من سمطها

    And whenever she combs the fragrant rose,

    She scatters its petals from her necklace.

  6. خل عن نضوك في هذا المربع

    وامش واستقبل هبوب الشمال

    Leave your weary mount behind in this spring pasture,

    And walk out to meet the blowing north wind.

  7. دونك النوار ذا الشكل البديع

    فاجتن واشمم أو اشمم واجتل

    Here are the blossoms in their wondrous form:

    Pluck and smell, or smell and behold.

  8. أترى سعد الشقيق الأحمرا

    هو من خدي حبيبي سرقوه

    Do you see, Saʿd, the crimson anemone?

    They stole it from my beloved's cheeks.

  9. وترى هذا الغزال الأعفرا

    فبمن أهواه عينا شبهوه

    And do you see this tawny gazelle?

    In its eyes, they likened it to the one I love.

  10. وشذا القيصوم حيث انتشرا

    مثله يوجد والشاهد فوه

    And the fragrance of qaysum, wherever it spreads,

    Its like is found in him; his mouth is the witness.

  11. والأقاح افتر عن ثغر لموع

    حاكيا مبسمه في الرتل

    And the daisies smiled, revealing a gleaming mouth,

    Imitating his smiling mouth's well-spaced teeth.

  12. وبكى النرجس والطل دموع

    وحكى منه سواهي المقل

    And the narcissus wept, with dew for tears,

    And mirrored his dreamy eyes.

  13. يا بلقسي وأراني قد فديت

    أنفس الأنفس من عشاقه

    O Balqasi, I see that I have ransomed

    The most precious souls among his lovers

  14. من رشاً في خده ورداً رأيت

    أحدقت فيه ظبا أحداقه

    From a fawn in whose cheek I saw a rose.

    The blades of his eyes encircled it;

  15. فهو يحميه وما منه جنيت

    ايرى لحظي من سراقه

    He guards it, and I have plucked nothing from it.

    Does he count my glance among its thieves?

  16. ملق أبصر ما بي من ولوع

    فأشاب الجد بعد الهزل

    A coaxing charmer, he saw the passion within me,

    Then earnestness, after jesting, turned me gray.

  17. وعلى الحالين الفاني مطيع

    وهواني في هواه لذ لي

    And in either state, the perishing one obeys,

    And my abasement in loving him was sweet to me.

  18. مسترقي هو باللحن الرقيق

    يتعاطاه بألفاظ حسان

    He enslaves me with a tender melody,

    Which he delivers in beautiful words.

  19. غنج يزور عن مثل الشقيق

    ورشا يفتر عن سمطي جمان

    A coy one, turning aside to show an anemone-like cheek,

    And a fawn whose smile reveals two strings of pearls.

  20. ثغره والريق كأس ورحيق

    لم ير الراووق يوما والدنان

    His mouth and saliva are a cup and pure wine,

    Wine that never once saw a strainer or wine jars.

  21. غير أني رشفه لا أسيتطيع

    ولعمري هو أقصى أملي

    But I cannot sip it,

    And by my life, it is my utmost wish.

  22. أنا مالي غير دمعي من شفيع

    وهو لا يقبله من قبلي

    I have no intercessor but my tears,

    And he will not accept them from me.

  23. ذو دلال دلني حتفي عليه

    فجفا لا قدر الله جفاه

    A coy charmer, to whom my doom led me,

    He shunned me—may God not decree his estrangement.

  24. وأنا الصعب وطوعي في يديه

    فمتى أرجو خلاصي من هواه

    And I am hard to tame, yet my obedience lies in his hands.

    When, then, can I hope to escape my love for him?

  25. فاليه المشتكى من مقلتيه

    أنا لا أشكوه يوما لسواه

    So to him I bring my complaint against his eyes;

    I never complain of him to anyone else.

  26. من سهام لا تقيهن الدروع

    وهي في غير الحشى لم تنصل

    Of arrows that no armor can ward off,

    And they have struck nowhere but the heart.

  27. فبعين الحب إن أمسى صريع

    وأنا مرمى العيون النجل

    If he falls stricken, Love's eye is upon him,

    And I am the target of wide, lovely eyes.

  28. ما لمن أهواه يوما لا يفي

    بذمامي والوفا من شيمي

    Why does the one I love never keep

    His pledge to me, when loyalty is my nature?

  29. أنا مالي لا أرى خلا وفي

    يحفظ الود ويرعى ذممي

    What ails me, that I see no faithful friend

    Who preserves affection and honors my bonds?

  30. أسفي لو كان يجدي أسفي

    حيث لم أحظ بغير الندم

    My sorrow—if only my sorrow could avail me!

    Since I have gained nothing but regret.

  31. ضاع ودي وكذا الود يضيع

    عند ذي قلب من الود خلي

    My affection was wasted; thus is affection wasted

    On one whose heart is empty of affection.

  32. أنا مازلت على حسن الصنيع

    وعلى غير الوفا لم يزل

    I have remained constant in good conduct,

    While he has remained constant in unfaithfulness.

  33. من عديري فيه والعذر هواه

    ولقد لاح بخديه العذار

    Who will excuse me concerning him? Loving him is my excuse.

    And indeed beard-down has appeared along his cheeks.

  34. أكمام وشقيق وجنتاه

    أم هو الريحان حول الجلنار

    Are his cheeks flower-cups and anemones,

    Or is it basil around pomegranate blossom?

  35. كسر الجفن وذا سيف نضاه

    كيف لا ألقاه إلا بانكسار

    He lowered his eyelid—a sword he unsheathed;

    How can I face him except broken?

  36. ذو قوام نوعة الغصن ينوع

    وسوى بدر السما لم يحمل

    He has a figure that sways as a bough sways,

    And bears nothing but heaven's full moon.

  37. صعدة أشرعه دون الشروع

    من لماه وهو أشهى منهل

    A straight spear he leveled to bar a draught

    From his dusky lips—the most enticing watering place.