1. لئن خنتُ عهداً أو نقضتُ ودادا

    فلا حملت كفي ظبىً وصعادا

    If I betray a pledge or break a bond of affection,

    may my hand never bear sword-blades or spears.

  2. فتى الملك الضليل حسبي أن أرى

    بك الهدي غيّاً والضلال رشادا

    O youth of the errant king, it is enough for me to see

    guidance through you as error, and misguidance as right guidance.

  3. إذا شئت تهدي الصب خطة حتفه

    تخيل أيا غصن النقا وتهادى

    If you wish to guide the lovesick one toward his doom,

    strut, O bough of the sandhill, and sway gracefully.

  4. أصاحب عدّى عن هواه لصاحب

    أجالد أعدائي عليه جلادا

    Would I befriend my foes, forsaking love for a friend

    for whom I battle my enemies fiercely?

  5. أردّ حديد الهند عنه مثلَّماً

    والسنة زرقا شحذن حدادا

    I turn back from him the steel of India, notched,

    and blue spear-tongues, whetted sharp.

  6. أخا البدر من لي أن أشدَّ بصارمي

    أقنَع عذالا عليك شدادا

    O brother of the full moon, who will help me charge with my keen sword

    and strike the heads of reproachers so harsh toward you?

  7. وابعث أسراب الدموع تخاله

    على الجيد أفراسا جرين جيادا

    And I send forth flocks of tears, which you would take

    for fine horses racing along the neck.

  8. أزيدك ماء العين فيك تخاله

    عيون الورى فوق الخدود مزادا

    I offer you more tears for your sake, which

    the eyes of mortals take for waterskins upon the cheeks.

  9. جمعت ليَ الحزن الطويل وطلما

    قصرت على عيني الدموع بدادا

    You gathered lasting sorrow for me, and often

    reserved scattered tears for my eyes alone.

  10. لأدميت لي بالبعد منك نواظراً

    وروَّعت لي بالقرب منك فؤادا

    You have indeed made my eyes bleed through distance from you,

    and frightened my heart through nearness to you.

  11. رميتَ بأحشائي تأجَّج زفرةٍ

    قدحت بها بين الضلوع زنادا

    You flung the blaze of a sigh into my vitals;

    with it you struck flints between my ribs.

  12. وما زلتُ على حالين لم أرَ منهما

    محيصاً ولا ما عشت عنك محادا

    And I have remained in two states, from which I have found

    no escape, nor, while I live, any turning away from you.

  13. فأما لأقضي في هواك صبابة

    وأما لأقضي من هواك مرادا

    So either I shall perish, yearning in your love,

    or I shall fulfill a desire through your love.

  14. معاداً فأنالروح بعدك أو شكت

    ترى كل آن في الحياة معادا

    A return—for the soul, after you, was on the verge

    of seeing every moment of life as a return to the hereafter.

  15. إذا شاور السلوان قلبي مرة

    دعوت به عد للغرام فعادا

    When forgetfulness once consulted my heart,

    I called to it, 'Return to passion!' and it returned.

  16. لك اللَه هل من حاجةٍ بك تقتضي

    ولو كنت تقضيها عناً ونكادا

    God bless you—is there a need that may be met through you,

    even if you were to meet it with hardship and vexation?

  17. وما خِلت بعد الصرم دون عيادتي

    فرشت لي العود الصريم مهادا

    And I never thought that after estrangement, instead of visiting me,

    you would spread cut wood as a bed for me.

  18. وهل نَصَف أمسي فراشي عوسجا

    جعلت له الشوك القتاد وسادا

    Is it fair that I spend the evening with boxthorn for my bed,

    for which you made tragacanth thorns a pillow?

  19. ولن تطفئ الحرّ الأوام بمهجتي

    سوى الريق عذبا من لماك برادا

    Nothing will quench the burning thirst in my heart

    but sweet, cooling saliva from your dusky lips.

  20. ومن كان ذا دمع عليك يذيله

    فرادى فلا دمع ثنى وفرادى

    Whoever has tears for you and lets them trail

    one by one—then no tears, whether paired or single.

  21. ولست وان شطَّ المزار بمضمر

    سلوا وأن أبدى قلىً وتمادى

    Nor do I harbor, though the place of meeting lies far away,

    forgetfulness, even if he shows aversion and persists.

  22. ومن كان يزجي للسماوة جسرة

    فإني أزّجي جسرة وفؤادا

    If anyone drives a sturdy she-camel toward al-Samawah,

    then I drive a sturdy she-camel and a heart.

  23. هي الدار والأقمار مشرقة بها

    تكاثر أقمار السماء عدادا

    It is the abode, and the moons shining there

    vie with the moons of heaven in number.

  24. فما بعدها دار تشوق ولا زهى

    مراد ولا روى الغمام بلادا

    Beyond it no dwelling stirs longing, nor does

    any desired place bloom, nor do clouds water any land.

  25. معاهد خلاني ومجمع رفقتي

    سقاها الرباب الممتهل عهادا

    The haunts of my close friends, the gathering-place of my companions—

    may pouring clouds water them with rain upon rain.

  26. جممت لها بالعين مني عبرة

    سأسقي بنوئيها ربى ووهادا

    For it I have stored a tear in my eye;

    with its two showers I shall water hills and hollows.

  27. وأبيض غربيب القذال كأنما

    على عاتقي منه طرحت نجادا

    And a fair-skinned one, jet-black at the nape, as though

    I had slung a sword-belt from him across my shoulder.

  28. فما عنَّ لي إلا انثنيت بعبرتي

    أجاهد عن نفسي هواه جهادا

    So he never appeared to me without my turning away in tears,

    battling fiercely against love for him in defense of my soul.