أَتطمعُ في عِقالك أَن يُحلاّ

وتُدرك في ظلام الصُّدغ مَحْلا

Do you hope that your reason will be adorned,

And attain enlightenment in the darkness of perception?

وكنتُ أَقول لي صبرٌ مُعينٌ

فلمّا صحّ هجرُك لي تخلّى

I used to say to myself, "Patience is a helper,"

But when your separation became true to me, it abandoned me.

أَتسمع في مُحِبّك قولَ واشٍ

وما سَمِع المُعَنّى فيك عَذْلا

Do you hear your lover say anything,

And the meaning has never heard you to be unjust?

لقد حلّلتَ من قتلي حراماً

وحرَّمتَ الوصال وكان حِلاّ

You made it unlawfully forbidden for me to be killed,

And you forbade union though it was permissible.

وتسمح لي بخمر اللَّحظ صِرْفاً

وتمنعني مِزاجَ الرّيق بُخلا

And you allow me the wine of gazes undiluted,

Yet you deprive me of the beverage of saliva out of stinginess.

لقد عذَّبْتني، وأَصبتَ فيه

لأَنّ الحبّ بالتعذيب أَحلى

You have tortured me, and been correct in doing so,

Because love is made more beautiful through torment.

لقد نصحت دعاوى العشق قوماً

يظنّون البَلا في الحبِّ سهلا

I advised the claims of passion to a people,

Who think tribulation in love is easy.

فواحدُهم يَلَذُّ له زماناً

ويطمع أَن يرى أَمناً وعدلا

One of them enjoys for a time,

And hopes to see safety and justice.

إِذا ابتسم الوِصال يهيم عِشقاً

وإِن عَبَس الصّدودُ سلا ومَلاّ

When the union smiles, he ardently loves,

And if estrangement frowns, he becomes humble and weary.

وشرطُ العِشق أَن تبقى أَسيراً

وتجعلَ حُبَّهم قَيْداً وغُلاّ

The condition of love is that you remain captive,

And make their love a shackle and fetter.

فيا دهرُ ارتدِع عني وإِلاّ

ستلقى من مُعين الدين نَصْلا

O time, beware of me, else

You will find a sharp sword from the spring of religion.

فتى إِن زُرْتَه أَلفيتَ عزماً

يدافع من كُروب الدّهر ثِقْلا

A young man, if you visit him you will find resolve,

That defends from the burdens of fate.

وتلقى للخطوب حِمىً مَنيعاً

وتُبصر جانباً للّهْو سَهلا

And you will find strong protection for calamities,

And you will see an aspect that is easy for enjoyment.

فآلاءُ المكارم منك تَتْرى

وآيات المحامد فيك تُتْلى

The virtues of nobility flow from you,

And the signs of praise in you are recited.

مدحتك لا لأَجلِ يسيرِ حَظٍ

ولكن مطلبي أَوفى وأَغلى

I have praised you not for the sake of some meager fortune,

But rather my request is more faithful and precious.

أُؤَمِّلُ همةً لك أَمتطيها

وأَبلغ في خفارتها المَحَلاّ

I have high hopes in you that I mount,

And attain the summit in its vigilance.

فَتنْعَشُ قوةً وتُزيلُ هَمّاً

وتُحيي مَيِّتاً وَتَرُبُّ شَمْلا

It revives strength and dispels anxiety,

It brings the dead to life and nurtures the whole.