هذه سنّةُ أبناءِ النُّهى

لستُ فيما جئتُه مبتدِعا

This is the way of the children of passion

I am not the first in what I have come to

أيّ صبٍّ لم يؤرِّق جفنَهُ

خفَقان البرقِ لمّا طلعَا

What youth has not had his eyelids robbed of sleep

By the flickering of lightning when it flashes?

أنشُدا قلبي بجرعاءِ الحمِى

فبها خلّفتُه منقطِعا

They wrung my heart with draughts of hot desire

Leaving it there distracted and forlorn

ضاعَ بين الحَدَقِ النّجل وكم

قلبِ صبٍّ عندها قد ضُيِّعا

Many a flower of youth was lost to those eyes

Where hearts of passionate youths were led astray