رَضيع الضِيَا لِلْبَيْنِ قَدْ طَرَّ شَارِبُهْ

وَكَهْل الدُّجَى مُذْ شَبَّ شابَتْ ذَوَائبُهْ

The infant of light has grown accustomed to separation

While the old man of night has grayed since his youth departed

وَمَا اللَّيْل إلاَّ الدَّهْر أعْيَتْ صروفُه

وَمَا هُوَ إلاَّ صَرْفُه وَعَجَائِبُهْ

And the night is but time itself made weary by its vicissitudes

It is but its usurpation and wonders

لَهُ الوَيْلُ مِنْ لَيْلٍ تَطَاوَلَ إذْ غَدَا

يُجَاذِبُنِي ذِكْرَ الهَوَى وَأجَاذِبُهْ

Woe to the night from a night whose length makes morn break

Where the memory of passion disputes me and I dispute it

طَلَبْتُ بِهِ وَصلاً تَقَادَمَ عَهْدُه

وَمَا كُلُّ مَطْلُوبٍ يُنَوَّلُ طَالِبُهْ

I sought through it a union whose era had expired

But not every sought thing is granted its seeker

عَلَى حِينِ أحَيْاَ مَيِّتُ النَّوْمِ نَاظِرِي

لِزَوْرَةِ طَيْفٍ أشْبَهَ الصدقَ كَاذِبُهْ

When the dead of sleep revived my watchful eyes

For a phantom that resembled truth in its deception

وَمَا زَالَ رَبْعُ الصْبرِ زُوراً وَإنَّمَا

لِيَمْرَعَ مَرْعَاهُ وَتَصْفُو مَشَارِبُهْ

Patience remains falsely quartered, merely there

To graze its pasture and clear its drinking places

وَبِي مُحْسِنٌ قَدْ سَاءَ صَدّاً وَرُبَّمَا

بَدَا الصُّدُ مِنْ أمْرٍ تَسُرُّ عَوَاقِبُهْ

And I have a benefactor who has badly checked me, though

Good may come from a check at the start of matters

فَلاَ وَصْلَ إلاَّ أنْ يَلُمَّ خَيَالُهُ

وَلاَ هْجَرَ إلا أنْ تُزُمَّ رَكَائِبُهْ

So no union unless its specter brings me near

No separation unless its miles keep me apart

وَلِي كَبِدٌ حَرَّاءُ فِي أبْحُرِ الجوَى

تَسِيرُ بِهَا سُفْنُ الهَوَى وَمَرَاكِبُهْ

And I have a burning liver amid the seas of ardour

Whereupon sail the ships of love and its vessels

فَهَلْ سَاحِلٌ بِالقُرْبِ يَلْجَأ عِنْدَهْ

غَرِيقُ دُجًى لَمْ تَبْدُ فِيهِ كَوَاكِبُهْ

Is there then a shore nearby where may land

The drowner in a night whose stars do not guide?

أيَا صَاحِبَيْ نَجْوَايَ هَلاَّ تَرَفُّقًا

فَقَدْ يَجْلُبُ الشَّيْءَ البَعِيدَ جَوَالِبُهْ

O my two friends - would you kindly show moderation

For the distant thing may be brought near by its searchers

خُذَا الحذرَ مِنْ أعْطَافِهِ وَجُفُونِهِ

فَمَا هِيَ إلا سُمْرُهُ وَقَوَاضِبُهْ

Beware of his coquetry and his eyelids

For they are but his make-believe and his callousness

وَإيَّاكُمَا القَوْسَ المُرَاشَ سِهَامُهَا

ألَمْ تَرْمِكُمْ ألْحَاظُهُ وحَوَاجِبُهْ

And beware the tautened bow whose arrows

Have you not seen its glances and eyebrows strike you?

وَمَاذَا عَلَى مَنْ صَارَ خَالاً بِخَدّهِ

أغَارَ أبُوهُ أوْ أغِيظَتْ أقَارِبُهْ

What is upon one with a beauty-spot on his cheek

If his father was jealous or his kin were upset?

لَهُ عَارِضٌ في الخَدّ قَدْ زَانَ شكله

كَمَا زَانَ خط اللام في الطرس كاتبُهْ

On his cheek is a mole that has graced his form

As the line of the lam graced the hand of its writer

بَكَيْتُ وَقَدْ قَدَّ الحَشَا وَهْوَ ضَاحِكٌ

وَهَلْ يَسْتَوِي مَسْلُوبُ قَلْبٍ وَسَالِبُهْ

I cried while he laughed loudly - can despoiler and despoiled be alike?

From burning in the chest has sparked its flame

فَمِنْ لوعةٍ فِي الصَّدْرِ شَبَّ ضِرَامُهَا

ومن مَدْمَعٍ يَرْفَضُّ في الخَدّ سَاكِبُهْ

And from a tear pouring down the cheek its pourer

My bosom friend, why, when my wings were plundered

خَلِيليَّ مَا لِي يَوْمَ نَهْبِ جَوَانِحِي

أخَيَّبُ مِنْ مَالِي وَيَغْنَمُ نَاهِبُهْ

Did I lose my money and its pillager gain?

For we are no full moons that whenever I glance

وَمَا لِسَنَا بَدْرِ الدُّجُنَّةِ كُلَّمَا

أجَلْتُ لحَاظِي فِيهِ جَالَتْ غَيَاهِبُهْ

Bewilderments roam in it and its mysteries

When will the chaste lad not yearn, having set out

وَمَا لِلْفَتَى العُذْرِيّ أنْشَدَ إذْ غَدَا

مَشَارِقُه مَجْهُولَةٌ وَمَغَارِبُهْ

With his dawning place unknown and his setting place obscured?

Give rest to a lad straitened in his love's horizons

أرِيحُوا فَتًى في الحبّ ضَاقَت مَذاهِبُهْ

وَلَمْ يلقَ صَبّاً فِي الغَرَامِ يُجَاوِبُهْ

Who found no passions in love to console him

Whether he draws near he is spurned, and if he keeps away, who?

مَتَى مَا دَنَا يُجْفَى وَإن يُجْتَنَبْ دَنَا

فَأَيٌّ يُدَانِيهِ وَأَيٌّ يُجَانِبُهْ

And who retreats from him and who draws near?

However much union calls him, separation opposes him

وَمَهْمَا دَعَاهُ الوصلُ عَارَضَهُ الجَفَا

فَأَيٌّ يُحَابِيهِ وَأَيٌّ يُشَاغِبُهْ

So who supports him and who contends with him?

And however much health relieves him, pain returns to him

وَمَهْمَا شَفَاهُ السقمُ أوْدَى بِهِ الشِّفَا

فَأَيٌّ يُعَانِيهِ وَأَيٌّ يُعَاطِبُهْ

So who comforts him and who reproaches him?

And however much despair prohibits him, grief drives him

وَمَهْمَا نَهَاهُ اليَأسُ اقْتَادَهُ الأسَى

فَأَيٌّ يُوَالِيهِ وَأَيٌّ يُحَارِبُهْ

So who sides with him and who wars against him?

For the flags of his regiment of composure have been routed

وَقَدْ هُزِمَتْ رَايَاتُ جيشِ اصْطِبَارِهِ

عَلَى حِينِ جَيْشُ الوجدِ جَالَتْ كَتَائِبُهْ

While the troops of ardour have unfurled their banners

And he wakes to find no easy union

وَأصْبَحَ لاَ طِيبُ الوِصَالِ مُيَسَّرٌ

لَدَيْهِ وَلاَ دَارُ الحَبِيبِ تُقَارِبُهْ

Or dwelling of the beloved that brings him near

For one whose patience is little, no life gratifies

فَلاَ عِيشة تُرْضَى لِمَنْ قَلَّ صَبْرُهُ

وَلاَ صبر إلا أن تَطِيبَ مَكَاسِبُهْ

Just as no patience, unless its gains are wholesome

For not every eye delights in beauty

فَمَا كُلُّ عَيْنٍ بِالجَمَالِ قَرِيرَةٌ

وَلاَ كُلُّ سمعٍ قَدْ نَجَاهُ مُجَاوِبُهْ

Nor every ear kept safe by its answerer

Not everyone who rode had his steeds returned

وَلاَ كُلُّ مَنْ قَدْ سَارَ رُدَّتْ جِيَادُهُ

وَلاَ كُلُّ مَنْ وَافَى انيخت ركَائِبُهْ

Nor everyone who came had his vessels anchored

One claims longing who is not longing

فَقَدْ يَدَّعِي الاشَواقَ مَنْ لَيْسَ شَائِقاً

كَمَا يَرْقُبُ الجوزَاءَ مَنْ لاَ تُرَاقِبُهْ

As one observes the deserted encampment who does not watch over it

So the English translation preserves the meaning and poetic essence of the original Arabic poem.