أمِنْها سرَى طيفٌ إليّ حَبيبُ

وليسَ سوَى نجْم السّماءِ رَقيبُ

From it came a phantom of my beloved to me

With no witness but the star in the sky

أتى وظلامُ الليلِ يَسْحَبُ ذَيْلَهُ

وللبَرْقِ ثغْرٌ في دُجاهُ شَنيبُ

He came while the darkness of night was trailing its skirt

And lightning had a gap-toothed mouth in its gloom

تطلّعَ خفّاقَ الجَناحِ كأنّهُ

فؤادُ مُحِبٍّ قد جفاهُ حَبيبُ

The fluttering of its wings was as though

It were the heart of a lover abandoned by their beloved

وهيْهاتَ يشفِي القَلْبَ طيْفُ خَيالِها

وقد علِمَتْ أنّ الخَيالَ كَذوبُ

Alas! The phantom of her image cannot heal the heart

For it has learned that phantoms are lies

إذا قرُبَ الإصْباحُ غادرَ بعْدهُ

فؤاديَ يَصْبو والدّموعَ تَصوبُ

When dawn approached, it left afterwards

Leaving my heart yearning as tears poured down

أبان غرامي يومَ بانَ عنِ الحِمى

وقد بانَ من فوْدِ الظلامِ مَشيبُ

My passion appeared the day the fever broke

And the first white hair was seen in the darkness

فأذهبَ صبْري والفؤادَ وسَلوَتي

فلمْ يَبْقَ إلا مدْمَعٌ ونَحيبُ

So my patience, heart, and tranquility left

Leaving nothing but tears and lamentations

ألا في سبيل الحُبّ قلبٌ مُقلَّبٌ

مَشوقٌ لتَذْكارِ العُهودِ طَروبُ

Indeed, on the path of love is an oft-turning heart

Yearning for the memories of past vows

ألا إنها الذّكرى وإنْ بعُدَ الحِمى

تُجدُّ لديّ الوجْدَ حينَ تَثوبُ

Indeed, those memories - though the fever has passed -

Revive ardor in me when they recur

وإنّ التي قد هِمْتُ وجْداً بحُسْنِها

وبالقلبِ منها لوعَةٌ ووجيبُ

She whose beauty made me swoon with ardor

Bringing agony and sighs to my heart

لَتُخْجِلُ بدْرَ الوجْدِ وهْوَ مُتمّمٌ

وتُزْري بغصْنِ البانِ وهو رَطيبُ

Would put the full moon’s ardor to shame

And make the slender branch seem most fragrant

فلولاكِ يا أخْتَ الغزالَةِ لم أهِمْ

ولا رابَ قلْبي من هواكِ مُريبُ

Were it not for you, oh gazelle-like sister

My heart would not be troubled by love for you

إذا ألَّمَ المشتاقَ وجْدٌ على النّوى

فليْسَ سِوى ذِكْر الحبيبِ طبيبُ

When ardor afflicts the longing lover

Nothing heals but thoughts of the beloved

وكمْ عائِدٍ زادَتْ عِيادتُهُ الأسى

ولوْ عُدْتِ قرّتْ أعيُنٌ وقُلوبُ

How many recurring visits increased sorrow

If only you would return, eyes and hearts would rejoice

فذِكْرُكِ حظّ النّفسِ في كلّ خَطرةٍ

فيا لَيْتَ حظَّ العَينِ منكِ قريبُ

Your memory is the soul’s fortune in every peril

If only the eyes’ fortune were to see you soon

عَجبتُ لمِثلي كيْفَ أصبحَ بالحِمى

يُنادي وما بالحَيِّ منكِ مُجيبُ

I wonder how one like me came to swoon with passion

Crying out when no answer comes from your quarters

على أنّ لفْظي لؤْلؤٌ مُتناسِقٌ

لَدى النّظمِ عذْبٌ للوُرودِ شَروبُ

Though my words are evenly-spaced pearls

Sweet as roses to the ears when composed into verse

إذا أعمَلَتْهُ في الطروس يَراعَتي

يروق مديحٌ أو يَرِقُّ نَسيبُ

If I were to craft them into a poem, they would please me

Whether praising or gently reproaching a kinsman

نَسيبيَ ممْدودٌ ولكنْ قَصَرْتُهُ

على مَن لَها البدْرُ المُنيرُ نَسيبُ

My reproach is brief though my kinsman is noble

For the brilliant moon itself is his kinswoman

ومدْحي على منْ جادَ قبلَ سُؤالِه

ومنْ أرْكَبَ الآمالَ وهْيَ رَكوبُ

My praise is for one who gave generously before asked

Who mounted hopes though they were shaky

هو الملِكُ الأعْلى الهُمامُ الذي غَدا

لدَيْهِ مجالُ العِز وهْو رَحيبُ

He is the supreme king, the man of resolve

For whom the range of glory is wide

فيَهْمي نَداهُ كلّما بَخِلَ الحَيا

وإن مطَلَ الإصْباحُ عنه يَنوبُ

In every hardship, I hear his call

Even when dawn is late to relieve the night

فتُسْعَفُ قُصّادٌ وتُقْضى مآرِبٌ

ويمْرَعُ من ربْعِ العُفاةِ جَديبُ

So needs are met and wishes fulfilled

And the barrens bloom after being dry

ينِمُّ من الأمْداحِ طيب ثنائِهِ

فتنعَمُ أسْماعٌ به وقُلوبُ

From his excellent praise comes the scent of sweet words

That delight hearing ears and hearts

أمَوْلايَ عُذْراً إنّ وصْفَكَ مُعجِزٌ

ولوْ جاءَ بشّارٌ به وحَبيبُ

Excuse me, my prince, for describing you defeats me

Even if Bashar were here to help his dear friend

ولكنني أرجوكَ في كلّ حالةٍ

على أنّ منْ يرْجوكَ ليسَ يَخيبُ

But I hope in every situation

That one who hopes in you will not be disappointed

فكلّ مَرامٍ أبْتَغيه مُبلَّغٌ

وكلّ بَعيدٍ أرتَجيهِ قَريبُ

Every distant goal I aspire to is attainable

And every far-off desire is near