أُخفي الهَوَى والدَّمعُ يُظهرهُ

والدَّمعُ يهتكُ ما أُسترهُ

I conceal my love, though tears reveal it,

Tears rend asunder all I try to conceal.

والحبُّ قد شبَّت شواهدهُ

بينَ الوُشاةِ فكيفَ أُنكرهُ

Love has spread rumors through the slanderers;

How can I deny what they reveal?

ويلاهُ كم يخَشى فأعذرُهُ

ويزيدُ في ظُلمي فَأغفرهُ

Woe to me! I fear yet excuse its deeds,

As it increases my darkness, I forgive it.

ما الموتُ إلاَّ حينَ أَفقِدهُ

والعيشُ إلاَّ حينَ أنظُرهُ

Death comes only when it leaves me,

Life is only when I can see it.

خلَعَ الجَمالُ عَليهِ حُلَّتهُ

لَمَّا تَكامَلَ فيهِ جَوهرهُ

Beauty itself adorned it with its gown,

When its essence was perfected within it.

فبياضُهُ وَسَوادُ ناظرِهِ

كافورُهُ عبِقٌ وعنبرهُ

Its fairness and the blackness of its eyes,

Are like its camphor, fragrant is its scent.

ومُدامَةِ في فيهِ مُسكرةٍ

للعاشقينَ ولَيسَ تُسِكرُهُ

The wine of its mouth is intoxicating

To lovers, though it does not intoxicate.

فَكأَنَّ خَمَّاراً يُروِّقُها

وَكَأَن عَطَّاراً يُعَطِّرهُ

It is as though a wine-pourer blends it,

Or a perfumer infuses it with scent.

رَشَأٌ نقِيُّ الثَّغرِ أَشنَبُهُ

أَحوى كَحيلُ الطَّرفِ أَحورُهُ

Smooth of cheek, a dimple in its smile,

The kohl of its eyes flows, enhancing its charm.