تَمَنَّيْتُ مِنْ وَصْلِ الحَبِيبِ اخْتِلاَسَةً

وَمَا كُلُّ نَفْسٍ أَدْرَكَتْ مَا تَمَنَّتِ

I yearned for a stolen moment with my beloved

Yet not every soul attains what it desires

تَخلَّيْتُ بِالتذْكَارِ وَهْوَ دَلاَلَةً

عَلى زَفْرَةِ فِي أَضْلُعِي مُسْتَكِنَّةِ

I was content with memories of him, though they

Betrayed sighs stifled deep within my ribs

تَعَجْبَ نَاسٌ لاِنْقِيَادِي مَعَ الهَوَى

كَذَاكَ عِنَاقُ الخَيْلِ طَوْعُ الأَعِنَّةِ

Some expressed surprise at how I yielded to love

Just as horses yield to the pull of reins

تَبَدَّى لِيَ الحِبُّ الَّذي أَنَأ عَبْدُهُ

فَحَنَّتْ لَهُ رُوحِي بمَا قَدْ أَجَنَّت

Love revealed itself, enslaving me to its will

So my soul bent to its power and sway

تَجَلَّى لِعَقْلِي دُونَ حِسيِّ فَأَذْعَنَتْ

شَوَاهِدُ أَسْرَارِي لَهُ وَاطْمَأَنَّتِ

It dawned on my reason devoid of senses, so proofs

Of my secrets acquiesced and were still

تَطَاوَلَ لَيْلِي بَعْدَهُ فَكَأَنَّمَا

يُقَلَّبُ قَلْبِي مِنْهُ فَوْقَ الأَسِنَّةِ

My nights stretched on without him as though

My heart was tossed about above sharp blades

تَعَلَّلْتُ فِيهِ بِالتَّمَنِّي لِقُرْبِهِ

وَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنِّي غَيْرُ تَرْدِيدِ أَنَّةِ

I justified my yearning for his nearness

Until naught remained but echo of my lament

تَغَيَّرَتِ الأَشْيَاءُ عِنْدِي لِفَقْدِهِ

فَضَوْءُ صَبَاحِي في ظَلاَمِ دُجُنَّةِ

Things changed for me in his absence

Dawn's light shrouded in deepest gloom

تُهِيجُ عَليَّ الشّوقَ كُلُّ مَرَدَّةٍ

ويَهْدِي إليَّ الوَجْدَ كُلُّ مَرَنَّةِ

Every fleeting thing kindles my longing

Each supple form evokes my fervent pain

تَرَفَّقْ بِقَلْبِي في هَوَاكَ فَإِنَّمَا

بُعَادُكَ نارِي وَاقْتِراَبُكَ جَنَّتِي

Have mercy on my heart in your love, for your

Absence is my fire and your presence, paradise