لعبت بقلبي والحشا اهواه

اترى لداء في هواي دواء

Passions have toyed with my heart and vitals.

Do you think there is a cure for the sickness of my love?

ولقد علمت وما لداء في الهوى

الا الشفاه من الحسان شفاء

And I have learned: love's sickness finds no

Cure but the lips of beautiful women—

من كل سافرة اللثام كأنها

بدر الدجا ونطاقها الجوزاء

Each with her face-veil lifted, as though she were

The full moon of night, with Orion for her girdle.

تسطو لواحظها على مهج الورى

وتصول في العشاق كيف تشاء

Her glances assail the hearts of humankind,

And she charges among lovers however she pleases.

ملكتها قلبي لعلمي انني

لا روح لي معها ولا اعضاء

I gave her my heart, knowing that I

Have neither soul nor limbs in her presence.

قل للظبا اللاتي حكين لحاظها

ما في عيونك يا ظباء حياء

Tell the gazelles that have imitated her glances:

There is no modesty in your eyes, O gazelles.

واذا تثنت قل لاغصان النقا

ما انت والسمر الرشاق سواء

And when she sways, tell the branches of the sandhill:

You and the slender, dusky beauties are not equal.

قامت تعاطيني المدام وريقها

يغنيك عما تفعل الصهباء

She rose to offer me wine, yet her saliva

Leaves you no need for what tawny wine can do.

وغدت تدير على الصحاب زجاجة

سال النضار بها وقام الماء

And she began passing a glass among the companions:

Gold flowed within it, while water stood still.

وجلت شموسا في الكؤس حبابها

مثل اللجين لها الدنان سماء

And she unveiled suns in the goblets, their bubbles

Like silver; the wine jars were their sky.

بكر سلاف بابن ماء زوجت

عذراء الا انها شمطاء

Virgin wine, wedded to a son of water,

A maiden, save that she is gray-haired.

صفراء كيس فرغته كؤوسها

وغدوت لا بيضا ولا صفراء

Golden wine—its cups have emptied a purse,

And I was left with neither silver nor gold.

زارت دجا خوف الوشاة تكتما

أو كيف يخفى في الظلام ضياء

She visited in darkness, hiding for fear of tale-bearers.

Or how can radiance be hidden in the dark?

وبدت وقد ارخت ذوائب شعرها

فتعارض لاصباح والامساء

And she appeared, having let down the tresses of her hair,

So dawn and dusk stood opposed.

وغدوت من دهر أقول لها وهل

امن ازديارك في الدجا الرقباء

And for ages I have kept saying to her: 'Has

Your visit in the dark been safe from the watchers?'

ان المليحة لم يشنها عذرها

والعذر منها في الغرام وفاء

Indeed, a lovely woman's excuse has not marred her;

And her excuse in love is faithfulness.

لا تطلبنّ من الظباء مودةً

هيهات ما ترعى الوداد ظباء

Never seek affection from gazelles.

In vain! Gazelles do not cherish affection.