أَتَعْلَمُ أنَّ لِي نَفْساً عَلِيْلَهْ

وَأَشْوَاقاً مُبَرَّحَةً دَخِيْلَهْ

Do you know that I have a weary soul,

And unbridled longings, my bosom's guests?

وفي طَيِّ الخميلةِ رِيْمُ إنْسٍ

رَمَزْتُ بها فللَّهِ الخميلهْ

In the folds of my veil, a sign of humanity,

I have symbolized it, so praise be to God for the veil.

فَذَرِ العقيقَ مُجَانِبَاً لِعُقُوقِهِ

وَذَرِ العُذَيْبَ عُذَيْبَ ذاتِ الضَّالِ

Leave carnelian unresponsive to devotion,

And leave wild roses, roses of separation.

اُفُقٌ مُحَلَّى بالقَوَاضِبِ والقَنَا

لِلأغْيَدِ المِعْطَارِ لا المِعْطَالِ

An awakening scented with freesias and jasmine,

For the perfumed wrists, not those gone listless.

حَجَبُوْكَ إلاَّ مِنْ تَوَهُّمِ خاطري

وحَمَوْكَ إلاَّ مِنْ تَبَوُّءِ بالي

They have veiled you from me but for my mind’s imagining,

And forbidden you to me but for my tribulations.

والقارِظانِ جميلُ صَبْرِي والكَرَى

فمتى أُرَجِّي منكَ طَيْفَ خيالٍ

Patience and destiny are my two friends,

So when can I hope to glimpse your phantom?