لَجُّوا فَلَجَّ غرامي فيكَ إذْ عَذَلوا

ولِلمُحِبّ لَجاجُ يَغْلِبُ العَذَلاَ

They blamed me, so my love for you overflowed, when they were harsh

For the lover has persistence that overcomes harshness

قالوا سلاَ عنكَ فاسْلُ عن مَحَبَّته

فقلتُ مَنْ لي بأَنْ أَسْلُوه حينَ سَلاَ

They said, ask about him, so I asked about his love

I said, who can I ask when he has departed

أَبَرْقَ مَبْسِمِه أَنْسَى ولُؤْلُؤَهُ

أم قَدّه مائلاً طَوْراً ومُعْتَدِلا

Is it his smiling flash that makes me forget, or his pearl-like quality

Or his straight posture, leaning to one side and balanced

أَمْ لَفْظهُ عَجِلاً أَم خدّهُ خَجِلاً

أمْ طَرْفَه كَحِلاً أَم لَحْظَهُ ثَمِلا

Or his swift speech, or his shy cheek

Or his kohl-lined eye, or his heavy glance

أَمْ صدَّه وجِلاً أَمْ دَمْعَه خَضِلاً

أَمْ شَعْرُه رَجِلاً أمْ خَطْوَه كَسِلاَ

Or his reverent chest, or his wet tear

Or his soft hair, or his lazy gait

أمْ كِبْرَه صَلفاً أم لِينَهُ تَرَفاً

أم خَصْرَه هَيفاً أم رِدفَهُ ثِقَلا

Or his proud height, or his gentle flexibility

Or his slender waist, or his heavy hips

ظَبْيٌ غدا الحسنُ بين الناسِ مُفْتَرِقا

وراح فيه وفي أعطافه جُمَلا

A gazelle - beauty spread among people and separated

It came to him, and to his sides, in waves

من لي بتَقْبِيلِ خَدّيْه وَوَرْدُهُما

مِن لُطْفِ رِقَتِهِ لا يَحْمِل القُبَلا

If only I could kiss his two cheeks, and smell them

From the softness of their tenderness that cannot bear kisses