ما للظِباء غَداةَ سائفة النَّقَا

حَمَّلْنَنَا في الحُبِّ غيرَ مُطَاقِ

What fault lies with the gazelles at dawn, when the slender one roams,

That they have burdened us in love beyond all bounds?

سنحتْ فأوثقتِ القلوبَ عيونُها

إن العيونَ حبائِلُ العُشَّاقِ

Their eyes have tempted and ensnared hearts,

For eyes are the cords that bind lovers.

وبعثنَ في قلبِ الخَلِيِّ من الهَوى

حُرَقَ الغَرامِ ولوعةَ الأشواقِ

They have aroused in this wasted heart a burning passion and yearning's torment.

They have prepared my heart for love though it was once secured from captivity.

وأعدنَ في رقِّ الهوى قلبي الذي

قد كان مُنَّ عليه بالإِعتاقِ

I suffer a relapse of my chronic malady,

And sink into despair though I hoped to be rid of it.

نكسٌ من الداءِ القديمِ أجَدَّ بِي

يأساً وكنتُ طمِعتُ في الإفراقِ

Whence can I seek deliverance after the doctor has despaired, saying "Is there no remedy?"

How can I feel at ease with friends when mine eyes have seen from them scant sympathy?

من أين أطمعُ في السلامة بعدَ ما

أيسَ الطبيبُ وقال هل من راقي

I did not reckon my lot with them would be loathing of the bored and tricking of the feigned.

I drowned yet my wish remained unfulfilled,

أم كيف آنسُ بالصِحَاب وقد رأتْ

عينايَ منهم قلَّةَ الإشفَاقِ

And I was left deprived - deprivation leads to drowning.

I competed with them in drinking the cup of love till they came to in haste while my intoxication remained.

ما كنت أحسَبُ أن حظِّيَ منهمُ

ضجرُ الملولِ وخُدعةُ المُذَّاقِ

They said while my head still throbbed with exhilaration,

"What has reduced you to this?" I replied, "Injustice from the cupbearer."

أغرقت في نزعي فأخفقَ مطلبي

وحُرِمتُ والحِرمانُ في الإغراقِ

إنَّ الأُلى نازعتُهمْ كأسَ الهوى

فصحَوا على عَجَلٍ وسُكريَ باقي

قالوا وفي رأسي بقيّةُ نَشْوَةٍ

ماذا دهاك فقلت جورُ الساقي