ما بال جو الحب في نسماته

عبثت حمائمه بجد بزاته

What ails love's air, that in its breezes

its doves have trifled with its falcons' earnestness?

بعد احترازي في الهوى وتأثمي

طاوعت شيطاني على نزغاته

After guarding myself in love and shunning sin,

I obeyed my devil in his temptations.

فجرى المقدر واعتلقت عصية

هاودتها والقلب في نشواته

So fate took its course, and I loved an unyielding woman;

I humored her, my heart in its raptures.

غيداء تخلط ودها بصدودها

تجفو المحب وتضنى لشكاته

A graceful maiden, mingling her affection with her rebuffs,

she spurns the lover, yet suffers at his plaints.

بسمت فأغرتني فلما استمسكت

بالقلب لامتني على خفقاته

She smiled and lured me; but when she took hold

of my heart, she blamed me for its throbs.

خدعتني البسمات وي لمطالع

وجها أنين القلب من بسماته

The smiles deceived me—woe to one who gazes on

a face whose smiles make the heart moan!

قالت غدا فرقبته فتخلفت

واستعذرت والعذر بعد فواته

She said, 'Tomorrow'; I awaited it, but she failed to come,

and offered an excuse—an excuse that came too late.

ضيعت أعوامي بلا أمل ومن

في غير آمال رمي بحياته

I wasted my years without hope; and who

has thrown his life away with no hopes,

إلا امرؤ في الحب أكدى رأيه

فعنا إلى عزى الجمال ولاته

but a man whose judgment failed him in love,

and who bowed to Beauty's al-Uzza and its al-Lat?

يا قوم لو في الكون أسعى ناصحا

فأحذر الفتيان من فتياته

O people, were I to roam the world offering counsel,

I would warn young men against its maidens.

وصفوا الرياض فزرت من مخضلها

روضا به الأعشاش في سرحاته

They described the gardens; among their lush greenery I visited

a garden with nests in its spreading trees.

عش به الإلفان في نعماهما

وبغيره فرخ يقيم لذاته

One nest holds two mates in their bliss,

while in another a young bird dwells alone,

أسيان يرقب إلفه متلفتا

حيران لا يلقاه في لفتاته

grief-stricken, watching for its mate, turning about,

bewildered, never finding it wherever it looks.

تتبادل الأغصان منه مفزعا

يبكي الربيع عليه في زهراته

The branches pass it, terrified, among themselves;

spring weeps for it through its blossoms.

فالطل فوق الورد في إصباحه

قان كدمع الصب في وجناته

So the dew on the roses at dawn

is crimson, like the lovesick lover's tears on his cheeks.

فبكيته وبكى على فإننا

صنوا غرام نشتكي لذعاته

So I wept for it, and it wept for me, for we

are twins in passion, lamenting its stings.