لم أزل مُكثِراً عليهِ السُّؤالا
وجَواباً ما عندهُ لي سِوى لا
I have always asked him so many questions
Yet he answers me with nothing but "no"
كلَّما رُمتُ رشفَ معسولِ فيهِ
هَزَّ لي مِن قوامِه عسَّالا
Whenever I lean in to sip the sweet honey from his lips
He shakes his slender figure and says "don't!"
وتثنَّى عجُباً وماسض دَلاَلاً
وانثنَى مُعرضاً وصالَ وقَالا
He recoils in wonder and hints at refusal
Then leans in close again to say "come hither"
كانَ عهدي بالخمر وهيَ حرامٌ
فبماذا صارت عليكَ حَلالا
I was used to wine though it is forbidden
So why did it become permissible with you?
ما كأنِّي في الحُبِّ إلاَّ فقيهٌ
جئتُهُ ابتغي لديهِ الجِدالا
It's as if I'm a scholar of love when with him
I came to him seeking debate and discourse
أنا قصدي تَقبيلُهُ أرَشاداً
كانَ رشقي رُضابَهُ أم ضَلالا
I meant to kiss him for guidance
Yet my saliva was his harsh rebuke or misguidance
حارَ منِّي في شرحِ حالَيهِ فكِري
كيفَ يسطُو ليثاً ويعطو غزالا
My mind was confused in explaining my state to him
How can a lion spare a gazelle?
إن اطعتُ الغَرامَ فيه فإني
قد عصيتُ اللُّوَّامَ والعُذَّالا
If I obey this passion for him, then I
Have disobeyed the Guide and the Judge
كم لعينيهِ في الحشا لحظاتٍ
مُنتضاتٍ عن حاجبيهِ نبالا
How many glances from his eyes in the night club
Fleeting from under his eyebrows like arrows
يا لهُ مِن مجاهدٍ في محبيِّ
هِ ينُادي بمقلتيهِ النُزالا
Oh what a warrior he is against my love
Calling out with his lashes "to battle!"
لم يقاتِل إلاَّ بمنُكسِراتِ
ومراضٍ مِنَ الجُفونِ كَسالي
He fights only with languid, drowsy eyes
With tears flowing from the lids as weapons
نصرتهُ عليهمُ فاتراتٌ
كلَّما أرخصَ النفُّوَس تَغَالى
The uncaring support him over me
Whenever the souls become cheap, he becomes dear
كُلُّ حربِ لهُ وَلَيست عليهِ
وسمعنا بها تكونُ سِجالا
Every war is for him and not against him
Though we hear it said to be mere squabbling
هِمتُ منهُ بهائمٍ بجفاهُ
هاجرٍ هجريَ الرُّقادَ وصِالا
I am tempted by his indifference to roam
To forsake sleep and join those who are parted
هازئاً بالغُصونِ عطفاً وبالكِث
بانِ ردفاً وبالرَّماحِ اعتِدالا
Mocking the branches as he walks with a sway
And the spears as he stands with poise
وبضوءِ الصبَّاحِ ثغراً وبالظَّل
ماءِ شَعراً وبالبُدورِ جمَالا
And the morning light on his cheek and the shady
Tresses as water and moles as beauty
ما شَجاني فَقدي لحبَّةِ قلبي
عندما صاغَها بخديَّهِ خالا
It did not pain me to lose the apple of my eye
When he shaped it with his mole
قامَ يسعَى بكأسِه فرآينا
في يمينِ الهِلالِ للشمَّسِ هالا
He busied himself with his cup until we saw
The crescent moon as a halo around the sun
وثناه سُكرُ الشَّبابِ فخِلنا
هُ قَصيباً أصاب ريحاً شَمالا
The drunkenness of youth distracted us
He is a mere boy who got a bit lost
وَعذُولي على هواهُ لَحاني
وأرى العَذلَ في هَواهُ محُالا
My jealousy over his love blamed me
And I see no fault in his love
أَلِفَ اللَّومَ في الهوى والتَّجنيّ
وأُناجيهِ وهو مُوَسى النَّوَالا
He is accustomed to blame in love and coyness
While I whisper to him as he feigns sleep
مَلِكٌ جَلَّ أَن يدُانيهِ ملَكٌ
جَلَّ أو قلَّ رِفعةً وجَلاَلا
A king too glorious to be condemned by a king
Too exalted or base in status and grandeur
كُلمَّا زادَ في المعالي عُلُوّاً
زادَ كيوانٌ مِن عُلاهُ استِفالا
The higher he rose in glory and pride
The humbler he became like a servant
ذو يَمينِ إن جاد أو جال بَثَّت
في الأنامِ الأَرزاقَ والآجَالا
With his generous right hand, if he gives or withholds
He spreads rizq and apportions lives among the people
فَتَراهُ بالسيَّبِ كالسيَّفِ يُحيي
ويُميتُ العُفاة والأبطالا
You see him with the sword give life
And take the lives of the wrongdoers and heroes
يا بُغاةَ الندى إلى كَم تَحثو
نَ الَمطايا فَتَفطعونَ الرُمالا
Oh you rebels calling others to ascend the high dunes
How long will you roam the deserts?
قَد كُفيِتم إذا وصَلتمُ دِمَشقاً
فَأنيخوُا بِها وَحطُّوا الرِّحالا
It is enough for you to reach Damascus
Then settle there and unload your burdens
لَيسَ في الخَلق من يَقومُ برزقٍ
غَيرَ موسى بَعدَ الإِلَهِ تَعالى
None can guarantee rizq other than
Moses after God the Exalted
