كَتَمَ الهَوى فَوَشَت عَلَيهِ دُموعُهُ

مِن حَرِّ جَمرٍ تَحتَويهِ ضُلوعُهُ

He concealed his love, so his tears flowed over him,

From the heat of embers burning inside his ribs.

صَبٌّ تَشاغَلَ بِالرَبيعِ وزَهرُهُ

قَومٌ وَفي وَجهِ الحَبيبِ رَبيعُهُ

A pouring rain preoccupied with springtime and its flowers,

A people, and in the face of the beloved is their spring.

يا لائِمي فيمَن تَمَنَّعَ وَصلُهُ

عَن بُغيَتي أَحلى الهَوى مَمنوعُهُ

O you who blame me for the one who was aloof and whose company I desired,

The most delicious forbidden love is the one I crave.

كَيفَ التَخَلُّصُ إِن تَجَنّى أَو جَنى

وَالحُسنُ شَيءٌ ما يُرَدُّ شَفيعُهُ

How to get free when he turns away or comes close,

Beauty is something whose intercessor cannot be refused.

شَمسٌ وَلَكِن في فُؤادي حَرُّها

بَدرٌ وَلَكِن في القَباءِ طُلوعُهُ

A sun, but in my heart is its heat,

A full moon, but in the horizon is its rising.

قالَ العَواذِلُ ما الَّذي اِستَحسَنتَهُ

فيهِ وَما يَسبيكَ قُلتُ جَميعُهُ

The critics said "What is it you like about him?"

I said "All of him".