1. رعاك اللَه من غصن يميدُ

    أحاول ما يريد ولي يبيدُ

    May God keep you, O swaying bough.

    I seek what he desires, while what is mine perishes.

  2. له من ماله إن أهدى ما لا

    يليق فبالقيود متى تجود

    If he offers him, from his wealth, what does not

    befit him, then when will you be generous with fetters?

  3. فما شأن الكرام من الموالي

    قبول يسير ما تُهدي العبيد

    For it is not the way of noble masters

    to accept the little that slaves offer.

  4. أبَيت ألا احكم بما تشتهي

    حكم القوي على الضعيف

    You have refused—come, rule as you please,

    as the strong rule over the weak.

  5. كم ذا التجني يا غزال

    غزا فؤادي بالعيون

    How much more cruelty, O gazelle?

    He assailed my heart with his eyes,

  6. وارسل من الأجفان نبال

    أظهر بها سري المصون

    and loosed arrows from his eyelids;

    with them he revealed my guarded secret.

  7. وفي الرياض بالقّد مال

    فغار من قدّه الغصون

    And in the gardens he swayed his figure,

    so the boughs envied his figure.

  8. يا مَن جفاه لا ينهي

    ولا عليّ وصله رئيف

    O you whose coldness never ends,

    and whose union shows me no compassion,

  9. احكم بماذا تشتهي

    حكم القوي على الضعيف

    rule as you please,

    as the strong rule over the weak.

  10. يا مَن أسري في هواه

    ارحم بحُسنك ذا الأسير

    O you in whose love I am captive,

    for your beauty’s sake, have mercy on this captive.

  11. ومَن كسر قلبي جفاه

    اجبر بوصلك ذا الكبير

    And you whose coldness broke my heart,

    mend this old man through union with you.

  12. مَن سار بوصلك فالتقاه

    فكل ما يلقاه يسير

    Whoever journeys seeking union with you and finds it,

    all that he encounters is easy.

  13. يا مَن سهر طرفه الشهي

    وجار على جسمي النحيف

    O you whose alluring gaze kept me awake,

    and oppressed my slender body,

  14. احكم بماذا تشتهي

    حكم القوي على الضعيف

    rule as you please,

    as the strong rule over the weak.