صَبَوتُ إلى دين الصَبابة إِذ سَعى

إِلى مَنزِلي يَوم العَروبة مَولاهُ

I inclined towards the religion of youth when

My beloved came to my abode on the day of intimacy

نَبيُّ جَمالٍ لَيسَ في شَرع حُسنه

وَلا تَقتلوا النَفس الَّتي حَرَّم اللَهُ

The prophet of beauty, in whose law of charm there is no

harm "And slay not the life which Allah hath forbidden"

وَما كُنت أَخشى في اتباعيَ دينه

عَذولاً نَأى لا قرّب اللَه مَثواه

Nor did I fear in following his religion

Aversion - remote is he whom Allah hath brought nigh

فَكَم رام سلواني وَعيّي بِلومه

وَلَكن هُدى دين المَحبة يَأباه

So oft did Solwan chide me and upbraid me with his blame

But the guidance of the religion of love spurns him

وَكَم كانَ يَرجو سَلوَتي عَن مهفهف

بَنى بالسويدا مِن فُؤادي مَأواه

And oft he hoped I would desist from this madness

He had built in my heart with Sawda a dwelling

وَكَم لامَني فيهِ خليٌّ وَجاهلٌ

وَكَم حاوَلت مني الأخلاء سَلواه

And oft did a boon-companion and an ignorant man blame me

And oft did intimates attempt to dissuade me

وَلما أَبى إِلّا القَطيعة برهةً

وَأَحرَمني يَوم العروبة رُؤياه

But when he insisted on separation for a time

And deprived me on the day of intimacy of seeing him

وَقاطَعني في الحُب لا عَن مَلالة

وَلَكن لِشيء دينه لَيسَ يَرعاه

Not for weariness of love,

But for something his religion permits him not

وَذاكَ لَوَهمٍ مِنهُ أَني سَلوته

وَملت إِلى ظَبي أَضاء مُحيّاه

That was his delusion, that I had relented

And inclined to a gazelle whose glance gives life

حلفت لَهُ أَني مِن الوَهم تائب

لِما صَحَّ أنَّ الوَهم لِلهَجر أَدّاه

I swore to him I repented of the delusion

When it was established the delusion had led to separation

وَيا لَيت شعري كَيفَ يَعلم أَنَّهُ

يحب سِواه وَالمَحاسن أَسراه

Would that I knew how he knows

He loves another, though their charms I concealed

وَيُصغي لزور في الغَرام وَشَرعُه

يَنص عَلى تَحريمه وَهوَ يَرضاه

And hearkens to lies in love, though his law

States the prohibition thereof, yet he allows it

وَيَنشر عَني أَن ميلي هُوَ الَّذي

دَعاه إِلى ما كانَ مِنهُ وَأَغراه

And divulges about me that my inclination

Is what led him to what he did, and enticed him

وَما ملت عَنهُ في الغَرام وَإِنَّما

أَراد اِختِباري بِالصُدود وَبَلواه

I inclined not from him in love, but rather

He wanted to test me with aloofness and trial

وَلما رَآني في المَحبة صادِقاً

وَما بحت للأغيار يَوماً بِنَجواه

And when he saw me truthful in love

Nor ever betrayed his intimate talk to strangers

وَصحت لَدَيهِ تَوبَتي جاءَ مُسرِعاً

وَطابَت أُويقاتي بشرب حميّاه

And my repentance was confirmed with him, he came hastily

And my moments were sweetened by drinking his wine

وَعاهدته أَن لا يَخون فَقال لي

أَجبت إِذا لَم يَأتِ غَيري فَتَهواه

I pledged to him I would never betray, so he said to me

"I am content, so long as no other comes to fascinate you"

فَبايعته طَوعاً وَقُلت لِصاحِبي

مَضى النسك فَاعذرني فَإِني أَهواه

So I willingly pledged allegiance, and said to my companion

"Celibacy has passed, so forgive me, for I adore him"

وَذَلِكَ كاس مِن غَرام شربته

فهمت فحاذر أَن تَلوم فَتسقاه

That was a cup of love I quaffed,

So understand, and do not blame me lest you drain it

وَلَو خَيروني بَين أَهلي وَبَينه

لَما اِختَرتُ في شَرع الصَبابة إِلّا هو

If given the choice between my family and him

I would not choose, by the law of youth, but him

وَأمنيتي إِن لَم يَزرني مَنِيَّتي

عَساهُ إِذا ما مَرّ بِالقَبر حَيّاه

And my wish, if death does not visit me,

Is that when he passes by my grave, he will give me life

وَإِن لَم يَصلني كُنت لا شكَ هالِكاً

وَلَكنهُ سرّ الفُؤاد وَأَحياه

And if he does not pray over me, I will surely perish

But he is the secret of my heart, and gave it life

وَواعَدني بِالوَصل في كُل ساعة

فَجادَ وَلَم يَبخَل بِما أَتمناه

And he promised union every moment

So he was generous, and did not stint what I desired

لَهُ اللَه مِن ظَبي يَجود لصبه

بِما يَشتَهي جَهراً عَلى رَغم أَعداه

May Allah reward my gazelle who is generous to his lovers

With whatever he craves openly, despite his enemies

وَما فيهِ مِن عَيب سِوى أَن طَرفه

إِذا ما رنا صادَ المُحب وَأَصماه

He has no flaw but that his glance,

When it wanders, ensnares the lover and deafens him

وَلَو كانَ هَذا الدَهر في الحُكم مُنصِفاً

لَما جارَ مَن بِالعَدل زوراً نَعتناه

If this age were just in its judgment,

It would not oppress one we have justly praised

وَفَرّق بَين الجسم وَالرُوح بغتة

وَهمّ بِأَمر لَيسَ يَأمن عُقباه

And separate body and soul suddenly

Intending a matter whose consequence cannot be avoided