ولما دنت يوم الرحيل وأسفرت

تخيلت شمساً قد تضاعف نورها

And when she drew near on the day of departure and unveiled her face,

I imagined a sun whose light had doubled.

مهاة تريك البرق مهما تبسمت

وتعلو سناء البدر حقاً بدورها

An oryx who shows you lightning whenever she smiles,

And her full moons truly surpass the full moon's radiance.

وتزري على الصبح المنير بوجهها

وتسبي ظباء الإنس والحور حورها

And with her face she puts the radiant dawn to shame,

And her dark-eyed beauty captivates humankind's gazelles and the houris.

وحجب ومض الدر در بثغرها

ولاح سناها ثم قام سعيرها

And pearls in her mouth eclipsed the gleam of pearls,

And her radiance shone; then her blaze arose.

قيل بممشوق القوام كأنها

أخو ترف قد خامرته خمورها

It was said of one slender of stature: she seemed like

A man of luxury whom her wines had intoxicated.

تضوع مسك مذ تمايل قدها

وشب شذاها ثم فاح عبيرها

Musk wafted forth when her figure swayed,

And her fragrance flared; then her perfume spread.

فجاءت وقد أهدت إلى الصبح شقة

يقطع أذيال الدياجي سفورها

So she came, having gifted the dawn a swath;

Her unveiling cuts through the trailing skirts of dark nights.

وقالت وقد أرخت من العين مدمعا

إلى أي وجه سرها ومسيرها

And she said, having let a tear fall from her eye:

Toward what destination are her secret and her journey bound?

فقلت وهل يجدي متيم سؤله

وفي قلبه نار يشب زفيرها

So I said: Can a lovesick man's plea avail him,

While in his heart is a fire whose breath flares?

بليت ونار الشوق ملء فؤاده

وفي نفسه داء وأنت خبيرها

I have been afflicted, and longing's fire fills his heart,

And in his soul is an ailment, and you know it well.

فسلت من الأجفان مرهف قاطعاً

وأروت حياض الموت من جايزورها

Then she drew from her eyelids a keen, cleaving blade,

And watered death's pools from her heart.

أبت نفسها إلا التقاطع حرفةً

كما حلفت أن لا يفك أسيرها

Her soul would have no trade but severing ties,

Just as she swore that her captive would not be freed.