يا بِأَبي مَن وَصَلا

وَمَلَّ مِمّا مَطَلا

O my father who has connected

And procrastinated what he has prolonged

زارَ وَقَد خاطَ الدُّجَى

على حُلاهُ حُلَلا

He visited while the darkness draped

Over his gowns, gown over gown

فَكِدْتُ إِجلالاً لَهُ

أُدْمِي يَدَيْهِ قُبَلا

So I almost revered him

By kissing his hands in welcome

فَقُلتُ مَولايَ أَلا

غَيرَ اليَدينِ قالَ لا

But I said, my Master, why not

Other than the hands, he said no

وَدارَ ماءُ الحُسْنِ فَو

قَ وَجْنَتَيْهِ خَجلا

The water of beauty circulated so

It overflowed his cheeks out of shyness

حَتّى إِذا سَرَّى سَرى

وَحينَ أَحْيَا قَتَلا

Until when he was happy he brought joy

And when he gave life he killed

كَما حَلا طيفُ الخَيا

لِ نَفساً ثُمَّ اِنْجَلا

Like the phantom of life

To a soul, then it disappeared

يا حَبّذا ذاكَ الغَزا

لَ لَو شَفاني غَزلا

O how I wish for that flirtation

If only he had flirted with me

فَدَيْتُ مَن أَبيتُ مِن

هُ وَعَلَيهِ وَجَلا

I would sacrifice anyone I desire

Him, and exalted is He

بَدرٌ إِذا البَدرُ سَرى

فيهِ المَحاقُ كَملا

A full moon when the full moon rose

The plenitude in it was complete

شَمسٌ إِذا الشَّمسُ خَبَتْ

تَحتَ الكُسُوفِ اِشتَعلا

A sun when the sun sets

Under the eclipse it ignited

إِذا تَلَطَّفْتُ قَسا

وَإِنْ سَأَلتُ بَخلا

When I was gentle he was firm

And when I asked he was stingy

لَيتَ اِعتِدالَ قَدِّهِ

عَطَفَهُ فَعَدَلا

If only the straightness of his stature

Inclined toward fairness

بَل لَيتَ صَحْنَ خَدِّهِ

مِن ذَلكَ الخالِ خَلا

But no, if only the moles on his cheek

Were without that birthmark

فَهوَ الَّذي قَلَّبَ قَل

بي في قَواليبِ البِلا

For he is the one who tossed my

Heart into tribulations

يا سَائِلي عَنِ الهَوَى

وَطَعمِهِ سَلْ مَن سَلا

O you who ask about love

And its tastes, ask whoever has asked

أَسكَرني الحُبُّ فَما

أَدري أَمَرَّ أَمْ حَلا

Love has intoxicated me so I don’t

Know, did it become bitter or sweet