أَتلكُ قُدودٌ أَم غصونٌ مَوائدُ

ونَورُ نضيدٌ فوقَها أم قلائدُ

Are those slender branches or dining tables laid,

And is that gentle light shining above them garlands?

وهاتيكَ غيدٌ آنساتٌ نواعمُ

بدت أَم ظباءٌ نافراتٌ شَواردُ

And are these maidens, delicate and tender,

Or wild gazelles, shy and fleeing?

خَليليَّ ما ملَّت سَقامي عَوائدي

لَوَ انَّ اللَّيالي السَّالفاتِ عوائدُ

My beloved, though the old ways no longer please me,

If only past nights would return as before!

وبالجِزعِ من ميثاءَ دونَ مُحجَّرٍ

رُسومٌ نأىَ عَهدي بها ومَعاهدُ

In sorrow for the pact near the sacred stones -

Customs from which my people have strayed.

وملعبُ ريمٍ رامَ رامي جُفونهِ

هَلاكي فَأضحى القدُّ وهو مُساعدُ

The glances of Rim still play and dart about,

Though they were my ruin - how strange that they aid!

مَريضُ مجَالِ الطَّرفِ أمَّا لحاظهُ

أُسودُ وأمَّا شَعرهُ فأساودُ

Sick from the blow of his gaze is my state,

His hair raven dark, his cheek jet black in its shade.

يزيدُ به سُقمي ودمعيَ جعفَرٌ

وَيحيى به حُزني ووجدَي خالدُ

Ja'far adds to my sickness, my tears overflow,

While Khalid's sorrow and passion relieve my pain.

أفاضحَ بَدرِ التِّمِّ والبَدرُ مُشرقٌ

ومُخجلَ غُصنِ البانِ والغُصنُ مائدُ

The full moon shines though shamed is its brilliance,

And the slender bough though humbled its fruits remain.

بحقِّ الهوَى إِلاَّ رثيتَ لعاشقٍ

تُقسمُه الأَفكارُ والنَّجمُ شاهدُ

For love's sake lament for a lover whose being

Is sworn by the stars, the thoughts bear witness the same.

لهُ أضُلعٌ حرَّى عليكَ وأدمعٌ

مُورَّدةٌ في الخدِّ منها مَواردُ

With ribs aflame for you, and tears down his cheeks streaming,

My defenders draw near to you, as my envoys they came.