أيُّ دمعٍ من الجُفونِ أساَله

مُذ أتتهُ معَ النَّسيمِ رِسالَه

What tear from my eyelids shall I shed

Since the breeze brought me his message?

حمَّلتهُ الرِّياض أسرارَ عَرفٍ

أودعتها السَّحائبَ الهَطَّالَه

The meadows conveyed to him secrets of passion

While the clouds deposited their burdens upon him.

مرَّ فيه والرَّوضُ زاهٍ فأضحَى

ساحِباً فوقَ نَورهِ أَذيالَه

He passed by while the garden was flowering, so he departed

Trailing his light behind him.

أَنشرَ القلبَ نشرُهُ مِن غرامٍ

بأتَ مِنهُ مكابداً بِلبالَه

I opened my heart and spread it wide with love

When he arrived burdened with his sorrows.

عذَّبتهُ من قَبلهِ عَذباتٌ

من فروعٍ على الحِمَى مَيَّاله

Before him, agonies had tortured me,

From branches leaning over the beloved's abode.

يا خليلي وللخليلِ حُقوقٌ

واجباتُ الأحوالِ في كلِّ حالَه

Oh my friend, friendship has its rights,

The duties of love in every circumstance.

سل عقيقَ الحمى وقل إِذ تَراهُ

خالياً من ظبائِه الُمختاله

Ask the beloved about the pact of love, and say when you see him

Empty of his fanciful adornments:

أينَ تلكَ الَمراشفُ العَسليَّا

تُ وتلكَ المعاطفُ العسَّالَه

"Where are those sweet pillows?

And those fragrant robes?

وليالٍ قضَّيتُها كلآلِ

بغزالِ تغارُ منه الغَزالَه

And nights I spent dissolving like drops of dew

With a gazelle, at whom gazelles took offense?

بابليِّ الألحاظِ والرَّيقِ والأل

فاظِ كلٌّ مُدامةٌ سَلسالَه

Babylonian of glances, charm, and wit—

Each flowing string of jewels a necklace.

وسقيمِ الجفونِ والخصرِ والعَه

دِ فكُلٌّ تراهُ يشكو اعتِلالَه

And sickly of eyelid, waist, and limb—

Each you see complaining of his ailment.

ونقيِّ الجبينِ والخدِّ والثَّغ

رِ فطُوبى لمن حسا جِريالَه

And pure of brow, cheek, and down—

Happy he who senses their fragrance!

وطويلِ الصُّدودِ والشَّعرِ والمط

لِ ومن لي بأن يُديمَ مِطالَه

And tall of chest, hair, and stature—

Who can make his likeness endure?

من بين التُّركِ كلَّما جذبَ القَو

سَ رأينا في كفِّه بدرَ هالَه

Amongst the Turks whenever the bow was pulled taut

In his grip we saw the haloed moon.

يقعٌ الوهمُ حينَ يَرمي فلم ند

رِ يداهُ أم عينُه النَّبَّالَه

Thought strays when he shoots—did we see

His hands or his shooting star eyes?

قلتُ لَّما ألوى ديونَ وصالي

وهوَ مُثرٍ وقادرٌ لا مَحالَه

I said, when he refused my love

While able to pay his debts, no doubt:

بينَنا الشَّرعُ قال سِربي فعندي

مشن صفاتي لكلِّ دعوَى دَلالَه

'Between us is the law.' He said, 'Take my qualities—

For every claim they are proof enough.

وشُهودي من خالٍ خَدِّي ومن قدِّ

ي شهودٌ معروفةٌ بالعَدالَه

And my witnesses are a cheek and a down—

Well-known witnesses of probity.'

أنا وكَّلتُ مُقلتي في دَمِ الخَل

قِ فقالت قَبلِتُ هذي الوَكالَه

I made my tears my agent in the blood of creation,

So my kissing said: 'I accept this agency.'"