بِذي سَلَمٍ وَالدَيرِ مِن حاضِرِ الحِمى

ظِباءَ تُريكَ الشَمسَ في صورَةَ الدُمى

With a greeting of peace, from the monastery near the sanctuary,

Gazelles show you the sun in the form of red wine.

فَأَرقُبُ أَفلاكاً وَأَخدُمُ بيعَةً

وَأَحرُسُ رَوضاً بِالرَبيعِ مُنَمنَما

So I observe the revolving heavens and serve in devotion,

And guard a garden in spring, thriving and teeming.

فَوَقتاً أُسَمّى راعِيَ الظَبيِ بِالفَلا

وَوَقتاً أُسَمّى راهِباً وَمُنَجِّما

For a time I’m called the shepherd of gazelles in the meadow,

And for a time I’m called a monk and astrologer.

تَثَلَّثَ مَحبوبي وَقَد كانَ واحِداً

كَما صَيَّروا الأَقنامَ بِالذاتِ أُقنُما

My beloved has become threefold, though she was one,

As they made the idols, in their essence, idols.

فَلا تُنكِرَن يا صاحِ قَولي غَزالَةٍ

تُضيءُ لِغِزلانٍ يَطُفنَ عَلى الدُمى

So do not, my friend, deny the words of a gazelle

Who gives light to fawns wandering in the red meadow.

فَلِلظَّبيِ أَجياداً وَلِلشَمسِ أَوجُهاً

وَلِلدُّميَةِ البَيضاءِ صَدراً وَمِعصَما

For the gazelle there are meadows, for the sun there are faces,

And for the white idol, a breast and wrist.

كَما قَد أَعَرنا لِلغُصونِ مَلابِساً

وَلِلرَّوضِ أَخلاقاً وَلِلبَرقِ مَبسِما

Just as we have given the branches clothes,

And to the garden, dispositions, and to lightning, a smile.