خليلي هذا البرق أسيافه تنضي

فهيا عسى حتف الظلام به يقضى

My beloved, this lightning - its swords are unsheathed

So perhaps it will destroy the darkness of night

فليس لنا بالصبح عهد لأننا

عهدناه من قبل التفرق مبيضاً

For we have no promise of dawn, since before we parted

We had promised it would dawn white

ولا بالكرى علم وهل كان لامرئ

نأى عنه من يهواه أن يعرف الغمضا

Nor knowledge of fate - does a person ever

Flee from whom he loves, knowing the blink of an eye?

هم هجروا برد الظلال وإنما

حشاي وحاشاهم أقامت على الرمضا

They departed, leaving the cool of shade, rather

My cheeks and their cheeks stayed branded by embers

مضوا فاسترد الدهر أنسي الذي مضى

كأن له عندي بقربهم قرضا

They left, so time reclaimed my past happiness

As if their nearness had owed it a debt

وبانوا فآلى البان لا بان بعدهم

ولا عانقت أغصانه بعضها بعضا

They were manifest, then all manifestation after them faded

No boughs entwined each other anymore

عريب سبوا نومي ولم تدر مقلتي

كما سلبوا قلبي ولم تشعر الأعضا

Strangers blamed my sleep, though my eyelids did not know

Just as they blamed my heart, though my limbs did not feel

وطلقت نومي والجفون حوامل

فمن أجل ذا في الخد أبقت لها فرضا

I released my sleep though my lids were pregnant

So for that did I keep a duty for them in my cheek

فليتهم عادوا وقلبي فداهم

وأرضي بأن تضحي خدودي لهم أرضا

If only they would return, my heart ransom for them

I would consent that my cheeks be as earth for them