ومَعْذورَةً في هَجْرِها لِجَمالِها
كَبَدْرٍ عَلى خُوطٍ مِنَ البانِ مائِدِ
She is excused in her abandonment, for her beauty
Like a full moon hanging on threads of dew
أَرومُ هَواها والمَشيبُ مُحالِفي
وقَدْ هَجَرَتْني والشَّبابُ مُساعِدي
I yearn for her love though grey hairs betray me
She left me while youth still aids me
ومَنْ عَرَفَ الدُّنْيا اسْتَقَلَّ سُرورَها
ولَوْ بَرَزَتْ مِنْ حُسْنِها في مَجاسِدِ
He who knows life holds its joys lightly
Even if its beauty paraded in fine robes
صَقيلُ حُسَامِ الفِكْرِ يَلْقاكَ رَأْيُهُ
لمّا غابَ عَنْ أَلْحاظِهِ كَالمُشاهِدِ
The polished sword of the mind strikes you with its view
When sights no longer captivate like witnesses
وما شَهِدَ الهَيْجاءَ إِلاّ تَباعَدَتْ
مَسافَةُ ما بَيْنَ الكُلَى والسَّواعِدِ
Passion aroused only when we drew apart
As the ribs keep their distance from the arms
يُؤَازِرُهُ في الرَّوْعِ قَلْبٌ مُشَيَّعٌ
ومُبْتَسِمٌ يُبْكي عُيونَ العَوائِدِ
Its ardour supported by a grieving, escorted heart
And a smile weeping the tears of farewell
سَهِرْتُ لَها والنَّجْمُ في الأُفُقِ نَائِمٌ
فَهاهِيَ كَالإِبْريزِ في كَفِّ ناقِدِ
I stayed awake for her while the star slept in the sky
There she is like a fleck in the hand of a critic
بَقيتَ كَما تَبْقى مَعاليكَ في الوَرى
فَهُنَّ عَلى الأَيّامِ غَيْرُ بَوائِدِ
You remained as your glories remain in the world
Above the days, never to fade
سَعِدَتْ صُحْبَتي بِدَيْرِ سَعيدِ
يَوْمَ عيدٍ في حُسْنِهِ أَلْفُ عيدِ
My company was blessed in Saint Sa'id's monastery
One feast day, its beauty a thousand feasts
كَمْ فَتاةٍ مِثْلَ المَهاةِ سَلَبْنا
ها صَليباً مِنْ بَيْنِ نَحْرٍ وَجيدِ
How many maidens, soft like the gazelle's throat, we plundered
Tearing their crucifixes from breast and neck
وغَريرٍ مِثْلَ الغَزَالِ حَلَلْنا
عَقْدَ زُنّارِ خَصْرِهِ المَعْقودِ
How many tender, doe-eyed girls we stripped
Of sashes binding their slender waists
وحَطَطْنا رِحالَنا بِفِناءِ ال
هَيْكَلِ المُوَنَّقِ البَعيدِ المَشِيدِ
We pitched our tents in the courtyard of the ancient
Far-flung, exalted, embellished temple
والرَّوابي مُشَهَّراتٌ كَغُلْما
نٍ لَنا في مُحَبَّراتِ البُرودِ
The terraces were blossoming like youths
Robed for us in embroidered silk
فَخُدودٌ مِثْلَ الشَّقائِقِ في اللو
ن تَليها شَقائِقٌ كَالخُدودِ
Cheeks were like anemones in complexion
Succeeded by cheeks like anemones in form
وإِذا مَا الهَزارُ غَرَّدَ في الغُصْ
نِ حَكَتْهُ الأَوْتارُ في التَّغْريدِ
Whenever playful wit trilled through the branches
The strings accompanied it in melody
مَنْ رَآنا ونَحْنُ في الأَرْضِ صَرْعَى
قَالَ قَوْمٌ مَوْتى بِغَيْرِ لُحُودِ
Whoever saw us lying dead on the ground
Said, "A people without graves."
