يا مَعشَرَ الناسِ حالي بَينَكُم عَجَبٌ

وَليسَ يَعلَمُ إِلّا اللَهُ كَيفَ أَنا

O people, my state among you is wondrous

And none knows except Allah how I really am

أُحِبُّ سُمرَ القَنا مِن أَجلِ مُشُبِهِها

لَونان وَأَحسُدُ حَتّى مَن بِها طُعَنا

I love the dark-lipped girls for their resemblance

To the two colors, though I envy even those scolded for loving them

عَجِبتُ مِن حملِهِ لِلسَيفِ مُنتَصِراً

وَقَد حَوَت مُقلَتاهُ الهِندَ وَاليَمَنا

I am amazed that he carries the sword victoriously

When his glances have encompassed India and Yemen

تَنامُ أَجفانُهُ المَرضى وَقاد زَعَموا

بِأَنَّ كُلَّ مَريضٍ يَعدِمُ الوَسَنا

His sick eyelids sleep while they claim

That every sick person lacks alertness

يَهوى خِلافي كَما أَهوى رِضاهُ فَإِن

دَنَوتُ مِنهُ تَناءى أَو نَأَيتُ دَنا

He desires my opposition as I desire his approval, so if

I drew near to him, he recoiled, or if I withdrew, he approached