بآلي ومالي غادةً أحمديةً

تردُّ رسالاتي وترمي بها الرسلا

With my wealth and possessions I wooed Ahmed's daughter,

Who rejects my messages and casts them away.

نبية حسن غادرت كلَّ كافرٍ

تبرَّأَ من دين الهوى مؤمناً عدلا

The virtuous beauty Nabiya has left every unbeliever;

She has renounced the religion of passion, a just believer.

ببلبل خالٍ يسكن النار دائماً

ويسلم والمحبوب عن ظله يبلى

With a nightingale that dwells forever in empty fire

And surrenders, while the beloved is worn away from its shade.

تكذبني إن قلت أهلاً بمنيتي

وتعلم أني قد سلوت بها الأهلا

You lie if you say "Welcome!" to my love,

And you know I have found solace in it with people.

وتطلب إيصال السهام لمهجتي

وقد ملأت قلبي لواحظها نبلا

And you ask for sending the arrows to my innermost being

When you have filled my heart with the glances of your eyes.

فما بالها يا رب وهي غزالةٌ

تصير إذا استدعيتها للصفا شبلا

What is wrong with her, O Lord, she who is a gazelle,

Becoming, when I call her to be kind, a lion cub?

وما بال أهداب الجفون براثناً

غدت وخدودي أصبحت للضنى أكلا

What is wrong with the eyelids' tenderness becoming claws

And my cheeks are worn away by longing?