قمريُّ الوَجهِ أَبدى بضحى
وَجهِهِ خَطُّ الغَوالي غَبَشا
My moon-faced beloved showed at dawn
His cheek lined by lovesickness made sallow
فَأَراني سُبَحّاً في ذهبٍ
مِن عِذارَيهِ كَما اِصفَرَّ العَشا
So he showed me golden in the morning light
Like saffron flowers yellowed in the meadow
ضُرِّجت خدّاهُ حَتّى خِلتُها
عَضَّ طَرفي فيهما أَو خَدَشا
His cheeks were rouged until they seemed a bloom
That my glance had fingered, nipped or scratched
وَحَوَت عَيناهُ خمراً لَم يَرُح
صاحياً مِن سُكره صاحي الحَشا
His eyes brimmed wine he’d scarcely recovered from
Though awake, like one drunk, eyes bloodshot
فكأَنَّ الصبحَ في وَجنَتِه
قَد سَقاه طَرفُهُ حَتّى اِنتَشى
As though the morn had watered his cheeks’ bloom
Till, by his glances, vivified, refreshed
عَشيت عَينُ امرىء لَم تَكتَحِل
لِلبُكا وَالسهد فيه بِعَشا
The eye of Ibn al-Ahmar wept unsmeared
By kohl for sadness and wakefulness
جَدَّ في قَتلي حَتّى خِلتُهُ
أَنَّه فيهِ مِن الدَهر اِرتَشا
He tried in killing me until he thought
That fate itself through him had pierced my flesh
لَم يَزَل يوشى بنا حَتّى
سِحرُ عينيهِ بِنا فيمن وَشى
He never stopped bewitching us until
His eyes’ sorcery to those he witched
أَينَ لي مَلجاً إِذا ما طرفُه
بجيوش السحر نَحوى جَيَّشا
Where can I flee, if his glance marshals hosts
Of spells and against me arrays an army fresh?
وَنَضت أَلحاظُه أَنصُلَها
فَثَناني بَطشُها أَن أَبطِشا
His glances thronged and bared their blades, so that
Their might made me draw my sword and lunge afresh
رَشأٌ إِمّا مَشى تَحسَبهُ
غُصنا نيطَ بهَضبٍ فاِنتَشى
A fawn, when walking, you’d suppose a bough
Swaying with graceful shoots, a pine refreshed
ثَقُلَ الخَصرُ بردفٍ راجِحٍ
مِثلَما أَثقَلَتِ الدَلو الرِشا
Loins burdened by substantial buttressings
As water buckets burden the water-seller’s sash
فَإذا ما ظَلَّ يَوماً قاعِداً
قاعِداً خِلتَهُ أَوطىءَ مِنهُ فُرُشا
And when he sits a day his sitting still
Seems softer than a carpet made of fur
خَمَشَت أَلحاظُ عيني خَدَّه
خَدَّه مِثلَما باللَحظِ قَلبي خَمشا
His cheek’s glances raked across my eye
As if my heart by glancing him were gashed
نَقشَت عَيني عليه أَسطراً
أَعرَبَت عَمّا بِقَلبي نُقِشا
My eyes etched lines on him and so revealed
What by my heart on them was etched afresh
مُنِعَت ثمَّ تَجلَّت فَدَنَت
رُبَمّا أَرداك ما قَد نَعَشا
Withheld, then showed themselves, drew near
Perhaps to kiss what they had nibbled fresh
أَنتَ كالبَدرِ يُرى اللَيلُ بِهِ
مؤنساً طوراً وَطوراً موحِشاً
You are like the moon seen now, now not
Lonely awhile, awhile the dark refreshed
كُن كَما شِئتَ فَقَد شاءَ الهَوى
إِنَّه يُنفذ فينا ما يَشا
However you desire, for passion’s rule
Prevails, its every whim on us impressed
