ما على الاحباب اذا ظعنوا

لو رعوا قلب الذي فتنوا

The beloveds are blameless when they injure me,

Had they been dutiful, to the heart they seduced.

احزنوا والقلب يحفزه ال

حافزان الشوق والحزن

They sadden me, yet my heart is stirred by

Two incentives: yearning and sorrow.

ليَ في شرع الهوى سنن

ولهم في شرعهم سنن

I have traditions in the law of love,

And they have traditions in their own law.

ابريّا بعد خامسةٍ

نهل ورد الخمس والعطن

After the fifth cup I attained the gardens

Of roses and perfumes from the five and the odor.

ولظني قبل ثالثةٍ

قرَب الانضاء يقترن

And before the third cup, unions were close,

As the cups brought the companions nearer.

لا يراح القلب صحوته

او تراح الاينق البدن

My heart knows no rest awake

Or any rest for my weak body.

واصيحابٍ سروا قضباً

كلما لان السرى خشنوا

And companions who walked proudly

Whenever the walk of the proud was smooth.

وغزال حشو مدرعه

فتنٌ قامت لها الفتن

And a gazelle whose coat of mail was adornment

Temptations that brought about temptations.

ان رنا لم تُجد سابغةٌ

نسج داودٍ ولا جنن

If you are not completely clothed in melody,

The melody of David or the madness of Jenin.

كلما يستنُّ في مرح

قلت هذا الضامر الارن

Whenever he was infatuated in joy,

I said this is the languid doe.

زار في خيط الظلام وقد

خاط من اجفانة الوسن

He visited in the darkness of night and had

Sewn eyelids of smoothness.

وعذولٍ لجَّ في عذلي

ودَّ لو تصغى له الاذن

And someone flirtatious who was steeped in flirtation

If only the ear would listen to him.

كم عذول فيك يا زمن

راح يبلوني ويمتحن

How many flirtatious ones are there in you, oh time,

Who came to seduce me and test me.

ظلَّ يلحو في هوى رشأ

قلت دعني فالهوى حسن

He persisted in courting the young gazelle,

I said leave me be, for passion is beautiful.