نُفُوسٌ نَفِيْسَاتٌ إِلىَ القُرْبِ حَنَّتِ
فَلَمَّا سَقَاهَا الحُبُّ بِالكَأْسِ جُنَّتِ
Precious souls inclined towards intimacy
When love offered the chalice, they became possessed
وَكَانَتْ تَمَنَّتْ أَنْ تَمُوتَ صَبَابَةً
فَسَاقَ إِليْهَا الوَجْدُ مَا قدْ تَمَنَّتِ
She wished to die young and passionate
So fervor brought her what she had wished for
وَفي الحَيِّ هَيْفَاءُ المَعَاطِفِ لَوْ بدَتْ
عَلى البَانِ كَانَ الوُرْقُ فيْهَا تَغَنَّتِ
In the alley, the rustling of garments, had they appeared
On the terrace, the leaves would have sang
عَجِبْتُ لَهَا في حُسْنِهَا إِذْ تَفَرَّدَتْ
لأَيَّة مَعْنىً بَعْدَهَا قَدْ تَثَنَّتِ
I wondered at her beauty when she was unmatched
To what purpose did she incline after that?
شَكَا سُقْمَهُ مُضْنَى هَوَاهَا صَبَابَةً
فَقَالتْ لَهُ أصبِرْ فِي الصَّبَابةِ أَوْ مُتِ
A passionate youth complained of his tormenting love
She said: be patient with passion or die
فَمَا عَاشَ إِلاَّ مُغْرَمٌ مَاتَ في الهَوىَ
بِحُبِّي وَهَذَا فِي المُحِبيِّنَ سُنّتِي
He lived not but enamored, and died of love
This is my way with lovers
سَتَأْتيِكَ مِنِّي قَهْوةٌ إِنْ شَرَبْتَهَا
صَحَوْتَ وَفِي صَحْوِ الهَوىَ كُلَّ سَكْرَتِي
A coffee from me will come to you, if you drink it
You'll wake in the intoxication of passion
فَلاَ تَمْزِجَنْهَا فَهْيَ بِالْمَزْجِ حُرِّمَتْ
وَلَوْ جُلِيَتْ صِرْفاً عَلَيْهِمْ لَحَلَّتِ
Do not mix it, for it is forbidden when blended
It would be unlawful if served straight to them
فَإِن هِيَ قَدْ أَفْنَتْكَ سُكْراً فَغِبْ بِهَا
فَمَنْ صَرَّفَتْهُ الصِرْفُ بِالنَّفْي يَثْبُتِ
For it has made you drunk, so disappear through it
Whoever is turned by serving, will be steadfast
وَفِتْيَانِ صِدْقٍ كَالنُّجُومِ سَرَوْا عَلَى
رَكَائِبِ عَزْمٍ مَا لَهَا مِنْ أَزْمَّةِ
And sincere youths, like stars, rode
On the saddles of resolve—they have no weakness
ذَوِي أَنْفُسٍ لَمْ يَبْرْحِ العِزُّ شَأَنَهَا
رَأَتْ عِزّ لَيْلَى بِالجَمَالِ فَذَلَّتِ
Of noble souls, glory never abandoned its affair
It saw Layla's glory through beauty, so it weakened
تَوَاصَوْا عَلى حِفْظِ الوَفَا وتَرَاضَعوا
كُؤُوسَ الصَّفَا وَاسْتَمْسَكُوا بِالمَوَدَّةِ
They conspired to keep loyalty and nurtured
The cups of sincerity and held to affection
فَنَادَاهُمُ خَمَّارُ دَيْرِ مُدِيرِهَا
فَلَمَّا أَمَاتَتْهُمْ مِنَ السُّكْرِ أَحْيَتِ
The tavern keeper of her monastery called them
When she ended their intoxication, she gave them life
فَعَاشُوا بِهَا فِيْهَا علَى حِيْنِ أَسْلَمُوا
إِليْهَا صِفَاتٍ قِيلَ مِنْهَا اسْتُعِيرَتِ
They lived through it in surrender to
Attributes said to be borrowed from it
فَمَنْ عَاشَ مِنَّا لَمْ يَنَلْ مِثْلَ نَيْلِهِمْ
وَلَكِنْ مَتَّى تَذْكُرْهُمُ النَّفْسُ حَنَّتِ
Whoever among us lived never attained the likes of their attainment
But whenever the soul remembers them, it yearns
