يا هل أذوق لماك بردا

خصِرا فاطفئُ فيه وقدا

O you whose cheek I long to kiss

A waist to embrace and ignite desire

وأُسرّح اللحظ الطموح

يرود من خديك وردا

Let me unleash my ambitious glance

That flows back from your cheek like a rose

لي من رضابك موردٌ

يا حبذا لي ذاك وردا

I have in your consent a spring

Would that your consent was my rose!

تاللَه أشهد أنه

حلو يمجُّ الريق شهدا

By God, I bear witness

That it is sweet, saliva flows like honey

ومهفهف الكشحين يخطر

ساحباً في المشي بُردا

The swaying of the shapely ones stirs

Gliding gracefully in their walk

يهتزُّ لي غصن النقا

إن ماس أوان هز قدّا

A Narcissus branch tremors for me

If at any time a leg was shaken

ويعنُّ لي عين الغزالة

عارضا جيدا وخدا

And the doe's eye meanings for me

Cheek opposing cheek

من لي به متحليا

قد علَّق الجوزاء عقدا

Who adorns himself with it for me

Has hung the necklace with a clasp

لولاه ما يممت غوراً

لا ولا طالعتُ نجدا

Without it I wouldn't have plunged into a valley

Nor climbed over Najd

وبمهجتي الرشأ الذي

يرعى الحمى شيحا ورندا

With my love's first down which

Grazes the protected, virtuous, and chaste

أمسي وأغدو في هواه

مولَّهاً ممسىً ومغدا

I spend my evenings and mornings in his love

Hopeful in the evening and next morning

ويصدني عن مرشفٍ

خصر اللمى أروى واصدى

And your waist, most flexuous and pliant

Prevents me from a noble and generous man

أفديك من متمنع

يا أيها الرشأ المفدى

I ransom you from one who refuses

O most ransomed of pastures!

قدتَ القلوب بأسرها

بهوىً يقود الحر عبدا

You have bound all hearts with a love

That leads the free man to slavery

جردت لحظك صارماً

وله اتخذت حشاي غمدا

Your flashing glance is unsheathed

For it you have made sword scabbards

سيفاً يريق دمَ الكلى

رقرقت لي فيه الفرندا

A sword that spills the blood of my kidneys

For me it clinks brightly the blades

آليت لا أنفك فيك

متيما آليت جُهدا

I have vowed never to cease loving you

Vowing exertion and effort

لو تعلمنَّ بصبوتي

لوجدت أو لقضيت وجدا

If you but knew of my night vigil

You would have found or fulfilled ecstasy

ولقد ذكرتك راعياً

للعهد حين نسيت عهدا

And I remembered you as a shepherd

When you forgot your covenant

ومحضتك الودَّ الصريح

وأنت فيه تشوب ودا

And I regarded your sincere affection

While you mingled affection with hatred

من ناشد لي مهجة

سقطت وقلباً فيك أودى

Whoever reproached my love for you

Fell down while my heart in you withered

ويعيد وصف شمائل

مثل الشمال إذا تعدى

And repeats the description of attributes

Like the passing of Suhail when it crosses the meridian

جئتي بمثلك ثانيا

يا ثالث القمرين عدا

You have come to me with your like, O

Third of the two moons plus one

لم تبق لي أبدا دماً

يجري ولا عظما وجلدا

You have left me no blood at all

That flows, nor bone and skin

وأما وفاحم مرسلٍ

أرسلته سبطا وجعدا

As for the messenger with loose hair I sent

I sent him disheveled and unkempt

بك قد ضربت بقلَّصي

خوصا تقدُّ البيد قدّا

With you I have struck my wrists

With reeds that extend the distance between palms

كم وهدة بك قد نزلت

بسفحها وعلوت نهدا

How many times have I descended

To its lower slopes and ascended its heights!