ما هامَ وجداً بالغُصونِ ولا القَنا

لَولا ادكارُ قُدودِ أهلِ المنحنَى

Neither the branches nor the valleys could distract his passion,

Were it not for the memories of the curving waists of beautiful maidens.

كلاَّ ولولا عِينُ أعيُنِ سربِهِم

ما اشتاقَ بالرَّملِ الغَزالَ الأَعينا

No, were it not for the gaze of the fairest among them,

He would not have longed for the desert gazelle.

سَلبَتَهُ يومَ لِوى الُمحصَّبِ صَبرَهُ

عِينٌ بَعثَنَ إِلى حَشاهُ الأَعينُا

The day he turned away, it robbed him of his patience.

A glance from her eyes dispatched his every glance to guard her.

لَولا لَواحِظُه لما حكمض الهوى

يوماً عليهِ ولا تعلَّلَ بالُمنى

Were it not for her glances, passion would not have burned him

Nor would he have pined for the beloved.

يا جيرَةٌ باتَ البُرَيقُ يَقُصُّ لي

عَنُهم أَحاديثَ الأَبيرقِ مَوهِنا

O neighbor, the lightning began recounting their tales,

Of the passionate lover's whispers in the still night.

رقُّوا فقد رقَّ النَّسيمُ لِعاشِقٍ

لم يجن إلاَّ الُمرِّ مِن حُلوِ الجَنى

They were softened, for the breeze was softened for a lover

Who tasted naught but bitterness from the sweet association.

وَمُعربدِ الأَلحاظِ لولا فَترَةٌ

في جَفنِهِ فَتكَت لواحِظُه بِنا

With languid glances, were it not for a respite

In his eyes, her glances would have slain him.

أزرى بِسُمرِ اللَّحظِ عاملُ قَدِّهِ

وَأَذاقَ بِيضَ الهِندِ ناظرُهُ الضَّنى

I blame the bronzed complexion of his cheek

And the one whose gaze made him taste sorrow white as camphor.

لَو قِستَ بالشَّمسِ الُمنيرةِ وَجهَهُ

لَرأيتَ أَدنَى النَّيِّرينِ الأَحسنا

If her face were weighed against the brilliant sun,

You would find the fairest of the radiant ones outshone.