أَشْفَقْتُ أَنْ يَرِدَ الزَّمانُ بِغَدرِهِ

أَوْ أُبْتَلى بَعْدَ الوِصَالِ بَهَجْرِهِ

I feared time would betray me with its deceit,

Or I'd be tested with separation after union's delight.

قَمَرٌ أَنا اسْتَخْرجُتُهُ مِنْ دَجْنِهِ

لِبَليّتي وجَلَوْتُهُ مِنْ خِدْرِهِ

A moon was I, brought out from its hiding place

For my misery, and polished away its tarnish.

فقتلتُهُ ولَهُ عَلَيَّ كَرامَةٌ

مِلْءَ الحَشا ولهُ الفُؤادُ بأَسْرِهِ

So I killed it, though it had honor over me -

The courtyard was filled, but my heart was in captivity.

عَهْدِي بِهِ مَيْتاً كأَحْسَنِ نائمٍ

والحُزْنُ يَسْفَحُ عَبْرَتي في نَحْرِهِ

My covenant with it dead was like the best sleeping,

While sorrow poured my tears down its throat.

لَوْ كانَ يَدري الميْتُ ماذا بَعْدَهُ

بالحيِّ حَلَّ بَكَى لهُ في قَبْرِهِ

If the dead but knew what came after,

It would weep in its grave for the living left behind.

غُصَصٌ تكادُ تغيظ مِنها نَفْسُهُ

وتكادُ تُخْرِجُ قَلْبَهُ مِنْ صَدْرِهِ

Sorrows that nearly choke one's soul,

And almost wrench its heart out from its chest.