اذكرني البرق في تبسمه

والدر بالثغر في تنظمه

He reminded me of lightning in his smile,

and of pearls strung together within his mouth:

ساق اذا طاف في مخيمه

كلمني والمدام في فمه

a cupbearer who, when he made his rounds in his camp,

spoke to me with wine in his mouth

اسكرني من حباب مبسمه

افديه كالبدر في اصايله

and intoxicated me with the bubbles of his smiling lips.

I would ransom him—like the full moon at dusk,

جذلان يختال في غلايله

فاق على الظبي في شمايله

joyful, strutting in his light robes.

He surpassed the gazelle in his graces,

وراح كالغصن في تمايله

سكران يشتط في تحكمه

and moved like a branch in his swaying,

drunk, going too far in his tyranny.

هواه يا صاح كيف استره

والدمع بالخد سال احمره

My friend, how can I conceal my love for him,

while red tears have flowed down my cheek,

والقلب قد هاج بي تسعره

بالله يا برق هل تخبره

and my heart's burning has raged within me?

By God, O lightning, will you tell him

عن نار قلبي وعن تضرمه

وهل حديث اللقا يسوغه

of my heart's fire and its blazing?

And will he find talk of meeting agreeable?

وهل اليه ما بي افرغه

وهل يفيه في اعرضه

And can I pour out to him what ails me?

And will he fulfill it in ...? [Wording unclear.]

وهل نسيم سرى يبلغه

رسالة من فمي الى فمه

And will a breeze that traveled by night convey to him

a message from my mouth to his mouth?

اهواه بدرا على البدور سما

بوصله باخلا ولي ظلما

I love him as a full moon risen above all full moons,

miserly with his closeness, unjust to me.

ما ضره لو يجود لي كرما

عجبت من بخله عليّ وما

What harm would it do him to give to me generously?

I marveled at his stinginess toward me, and at what

يذكره الناس من تكرمه

عواذلي بالسلو تأمرني

people recount of his generosity.

My reproachers bid me forget,

جهلا وتنهاه حين بذكرني

فينثني معرضا وينكرني

in ignorance, and forbid him when he mentions me,

so he turns aside, shunning me, and disowns me.

هل علموه فصار يهجرني

رب خذ الحق من معلمه

Did they teach him, so that he began to forsake me?

Lord, exact my due from his teacher.