وظِباً كأمثالِ العذارى سُنَّحٍ

تأوي إلى حَزنِ اللّوَى وسُهُوبِهِ

Shy as virgins, they take refuge in the sorrow of passion and its raging,

I surprised her, weak and pliant, between the valley and its hill.

فاجأتُها وهناً وهُنَّ رواتعٌ

ما بينَ واديهِ وبينَ كَثيبهِ

The meadow has grown old, its plants are withered,

Its youth cloaked in white hair.

والرَّوضُ كَهلٌ قد تصوَّحَ نبتُه

فشبابُهُ مُتلفّعٌ بمشيبهِ

The clouds weep with mercy for their loved ones,

And lightning laughs with joy at its flash.

تبكي لذاويهِ الغمامةُ رحمةً

والبرقُ يضحكُ فرحةً بقشيبهِ

With the clamor of thunder and heavy rain,

The seer finds peace in its turmoil.

بمسبقٍ صخبِ الجلاجلِ أجدلٍ

يرتاحُ رائيهِ الى تقليبهِ

Her beauty and excellence of character

Make description of her unnecessary, and trial.

تغني شمائله وحسنُ صفاتهِ

عن نَعتِ مُطرِيهِ وعن تجريبهِ

The slender waisted one has become hostile in his running away

So the death of the gazelles was in their leaping.

ومخصرُ الخَصرِ اغتدى في عَدوِهِ

نَزِقاً فحتفُ ظبائِه بوثوبهِ

One of shrewdness and insight trained him

And excelled in his training.

عاناهُ في تهذيبهِ ذو فِطنةٍ

وبصارةٍ فأجادَ في تهذيبهِ

So I hunted a gazelle whose heart to me

Was sweeter than wine and its fragrance,

فقنصتُ منها ظبيةً كانت الى

قلبي ألذَّ من المُدامِ وطيبهِ

Or a kiss from one who showed me his cheek,

I took it from him against his will.

أو قبلةٍ ممن براني صدهُ

خالستُها منه برغمِ رقيبهِ