يرنو وملء لحاظه أسد

فهد وما أدراك ما فهد

He aims and his eyes are full of lion's ferocity

What do you know of ferocity, O Fahd?

يستلُّ من جفنيه ذا شطب

شحذت مضارب حده الهند

He wields a sharp Indian sword

Whose blade's edge has been sharpened

وسنان طرف يسترقُّ به

ولهان قلبٍ شفَّه الوجد

With teeth that stealthily draw blood

And a tender heart softened by passion

وأمير حسنٍ بات تحجبه

ملد المعاطف لا القنا الملد

And a handsome prince who remains veiled

By covers, not veils of coquetry

قد رحت منه بمدمع هطلٍ

وكما أروح بمثله أغدو

I left him in tears of downpour

And as I depart I return in the same way

أوهى قوايَ وهدّ من جلدي

وأخو الهوى لولا الهوى جلد

Exhausting my strength and shedding my skin

Were it not for passion, passion's brother would be staunch

يصبيك وجهٌ أبيضٌ يققٌ

شرقٌ وفرع منه مسود

A white face smiles at you

Radiant, though its branch is dark

العين من عين المها سرقت

والخد يحسد لونه الورد

The eye stole its look from the doe's eye

And the cheek envies the rose's complexion

حسنان قد حسنا به وهما

خدٌّ وقدٌّ كاد ينقدُّ

A beautiful pair they are

A cheek and a nape almost snapped

يا سعد من لي في الهوى بأخٍ

يرعى ذمام الحب يا سعد

O Saad! Who can I find in love to be a brother

Who tends to the rein of passion, O Saad?

يلقاك سلس القول ذا ملق

وضميره متجثم نكد

He meets you with smooth talk

While inside he is a grumpy soul

نور يفيض أهابه غسق

منه استعار سواده العبد

From him overflows an obscuring light

From which the servant borrowed his darkness