خُذُوا عَنْ تَثَنِّي الغُصْنِ أَخْبَارَ قَدِّهِ

وَلاَ سِيْمَا عَنْ بَانِ نَجْدٍ وَرَنْدِهِ

Learn of the bending boughs about his stature,

And seek no tidings, saving of Nejd's uplands and its pasture,

وَلاَ تَسْأَلُوا عَنْ فَاتِكَاتِ لَحِاظِهِ

وَأَسْيَافِهَا إِلاَّ حُشَاشَةَ عَبْدِهِ

Ask not concerning the mail-coat or the keen blades,

Save regarding the bare hilts grasped by his hands.

تَعَشَّقْتُهُ عِشْقَ السِّقَامِ لِجَفْنِهِ

وَعِشْقَ الصَّدِي الظَّمْآنِ مَنْهَلَ وَرْدِهِ

I loved him with the lovesick wasting and the eyelid's pain,

And the thirsty man's love for the rain-pools flashing bright.

وَمَا كُنْتُ أَدْرِي قَبْلَ وَسْنَانِ جَفْنِهِ

بِأَنَّ كَلاَلَ السَّيْفِ أَمْضَى لِحَدِّهِ

I knew not, ere the down had decked his cheek,

That keener than sword's edge is his glance's barb.

وَلاَ لَذَّةً لِلسُّكْرِ مِنْ قَبْلِ عِشْقِهِ

إِلى أَنْ سَقَانِي نَاظِرِي كَأْسَ خَدِّهِ

No joy is there in wine before the beloved's love,

Until his cheek proffers the brimming cups.

وَدَانٍ وَلَكِنْ بَيْنَ نَوْمِي وَنَاظِرِي

مِنَ البُعْدِ مَا بَيْنَ الوَفَاءِ وَوَعْدِهِ

Yet he is near, though between my sleep and his eyes

Is all the distance between troth-plight and troth-breach.

وَكَيْفَ تَدَانِيهِ وَبَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ

مَسَافَةُ هَجْرٍ وَاصَلَتْ نَقْضَ عَهْدِهِ

How can such nearness be, while between him and me

Lies estranging separation that has rent our pact?

وَقَدْ كُنْتَ أَرْجُو أَنَّ طَرْفِي يُطِيعُنِي

إِلى أَنْ رَأيْتُ القَلْبَ مِنْ بَعْضِ جُنْدِهِ

I used to hope that my glances might yet obey me,

Till I saw my heart held captive in his ranks.

فَلاَ طَرْفَ إِلاَّ تَحْتَ رَايةِ شَعْرِهِ

وَلاَ قَلْبَ إِلاَّ تَحْتَ مَعْقُودِ بَنْدِهِ

No glance but moves beneath his hair's command,

No heart but is tied to the tent-ropes of his bond.