إذا خلوتَ بمحبوبٍ تُجمِّشُهُ

فاملأ محاسِنَ خَدَّيه من القُبَلِ

When you are alone with your beloved, caress him,

Fill his cheeks with kisses,

وأضحِك الوصل بالهِجران منه ومل

عن التحلّم للّذّاتِ والغزلِ

Make him laugh with love after estrangement,

Do not refrain from play and flirtation,

لا شيءَ أحسن من كفّ تُغَمِّزها

كَفٌّ ومن مُقلٍ ترنو إلى مُقَلِ

Nothing is more beautiful than a hand you caress,

A hand, and a glance that turns to a glance,

ومِن فم في فم عَذْبٍ مُقَبَّلُه

كأنّ رِيقتَه ضَرْبٌ منَ العسل

And a mouth - a mouth of sweetness when kissed,

As if its saliva were a kind of honey,

حتى إذا نلتَ ما تهوَى بلا كدرٍ

فاجعل منامك فوقَ المَتْن والكَفَل

Until when you attain what you desire without struggle,

Then make your sleep above the mattress and pillow,

وقل لمن لام في لهوٍ تُسرّ به

إليك عنّي فإنّي عنكَ في شُعُل

And say to him who blames you for playful joy:

"Turn from me, for I from you am in flames."

إنّ الثّقِيل هو المحرومُ لَذَتَه

لا بارك الله فيمن راح ذا ثِقل

Surely the heavy spirited is the deprived of his pleasure -

May God not bless him who goes about heavy spirited!