خُطِفَت مَحجبَةً فَأَينَ رَشادي
وَمَضَت مَمنعةً فَكَيفَ فُؤادي
Veiled, she was seized - so where is my composure?
She moved on, denying me - how can my heart bear this?
وَسِرت وَما نَظَرت لِذُلي بَعدَها
فَكَأَنَّها اِنتَصَرَت إِلى حُسادي
She left without so much as a glance in my misery's direction -
As if she had triumphed over my enviers!
وَغَدَت تَقول لِرَكبِها يَوم النَوى
أَترى الخَليل يَعيشُ بَعد بَعادي
And as her caravan set out at the parting place, she said:
"Does my friend live on, now we've parted?"
إِن عاشَ مَسلوبَ القَرار يَطيبُ لي
أَبَداً سَماعَ بُكا هِزارِ النادي
If he lives bereft of peace, it suits me well
To hear forever the sobbing of the group of friends.
أَنا عائِشٌ يا فِتنَتي بِيَدِ الأَسى
أَبكي وَأَندبُ فَأِسمَعي تِعدادي
I live, my torment, in the hands of grief -
I weep and scream, so hear my litany!
مُتَطائرَ الأَفكار مُنسحقَ القِوى
أَبَداً يَريني العشق هَول طرادِ
My thoughts are scattered, my strength crushed -
Love shows me ever the horror of pursuit.
فَكانَّ عاصِفَة المَحَبة وَالنُهى
ريح الجُنوبِ يَقُلُّ رَجُلَ جَرادِ
The gale of passion and taboo was a wind
That hindered the steps of a locust swarm.
يا أَيُّها القَوم الذين تَعَمَدوا
قتلي وَقَد مَلَكوا الغَداةَ قِيادي
O people who sought and achieved my demise at dawn,
You who have seized the reins of my steed!
لَما ما شَفَقتُم يا كِرام عَلى فَتىً
عافٍ أَلَستُم مَنهَلَ الوَرّادِ
When you had no mercy, O nobles, upon a healthy youth,
Were you not the water-drawers of the river bank?
ظَمأنَّ وَافاكُم فَرُدَّ بِحَرقَةِ النار
عِندَكم لِرَيّ الصادي
Thirsty, I came to you but with burning fire
You turned me back, seeking to quench my thirst.
أَغرَيتُم بَدري فَهَبَّ مُخاصِماً
يُعصي مَرادي أَخذاً بِعِنادي
You provoked my full moon, so he turned hostile
Disobeying my will, stubbornly holding his own.
ماذا صَنَعتُم قَد أَثَرتُم فِتنَةً
بَيني وَبَينَكُمُ وَبَينَ فُؤادي
What have you done? You've sparked dissent
Between us, and between me and my heart!
وَأَبَنتُمُ في الحُبِّ كُلَّ جَديدَةٍ
وَاللَهِ ما سَمِعتُ بِها أَجدادي
In love, you've fathomed each new depth -
By God, my ancestors never heard of this!
أَغزالَةَ الوادي المُخيم أَهلَها
بَينَ الخَمائل في ظِلالِ الوادي
The gazelles of the shaded valley where they dwell
Among the beautiful wild beasts in the valley's shade -
حَرُّ المَصيف لَها دَعاكِ لِتَرتَوي
وَبِأَضلُعي لِلوَجدِ قَدح زِنادِ
The heat of summer calls you to quench your thirst,
And with my ribs, a wineskin for fervor.
غضي لِحاظَكِ عَن مَراشَقَةِ الوَرى
رِفقاً عَلى الأَحشاءِ وَالأَكبادِ
Lower your glance from ogling people -
Gently, upon lungs and liver!
تَتَعرَضينَ لِصَيد أَفئِدَةِ المَلا
هَلا حَذرتِ مَكيدَة الصَيادِ
You turn to hunt the hearts of the mullahs -
Why not beware the cunning of the hunter?
أَنا ذَلِكَ الغادي وَراءَكَ في الفَلا
أَينَ الفَرار مِن الغَرام الغادي
I am the one wandering behind you in the meadow -
Where to flee from the perpetual love?
ماذا مَرادَكِ بِالتَجَنُبِ وَالجَفا
عَطفاً عَلَيَّ فَأَنتِ أَنتِ مُرادي
What do you want with avoidance and disdain -
Have mercy on me, for you are all I desire!
لا أَبتَغي غَير الحَديث وَحَبَذا
إِن جَرَّ لي تَقبيل ذاكَ الهادي
I seek nothing but conversation, if it
Should draw for me a kiss from that guide.
