ليلةُ الشَّعر كالدجى مدلهمَّةْ

فمتى يهتدي إليك ابن همَّهْ

The night of poetry is like an obscure darkness

So when will the preoccupied find their way to you?

ضاق باعُ الخيال عن حوب ليـ

ـلين ليقضي تسليمةً أو ضمَّهْ

The horizons of imagination are too narrow

For these subtle nights to fulfill their promise or gather them in an embrace

كم إلى كم تفلي الطيوفُ إلى

لقياك هام الربى وظهر المهمةْ

How often the ghosts travel to meet you

While people wander lost and confused

وبروحي من لا يرى ابيضاض النـ

ـحر منه لولا سواد اللمهْ

And in my soul, one who cannot see the whiteness of dawn in it

Except for the darkness of sorrow

راح في جفنه الكرى حمَّ للعشـ

ـاق سحرٌ سبا القلوب وحمَّهْ

In his eyelids is a burning passion for lovers

A magic that has enchanted hearts and gathered them

فهوَ الغصن رنَّح الماءُ عطفيـ

ـه وبدرُ السماء أعطيَ تمَّهْ

He is the branch the water has gently swayed

And the full moon of the sky that has given it completeness

آه ما ألينَ القوامَ وما أحـ

ـسن ذاك الجبينَ تحت اللمَّهْ

Oh, how supple his figure is and how beautiful

That forehead under the soft hair

ضلَّ قلبي بعد الهداية إذ أسـ

ـري إليه ما بين نورٍ وظلمهْ

My heart went astray after guidance when

I walked toward him between light and darkness

أنا أشقى به ويقضي لغيري

صدقوا فالهوى حظوظ وقسمهْ

I suffer for him while he fulfills the desires of others

Believe me, passion allots and divides its favors

ديم جفني سقى رسيمة والوجـ

ـد جواد فليس يقطع رسمه

My eyelids were always wet with tears and longing

Is a generous steed, it does not cut short its journey

جلَّ من صاغ قلبه الفظَّ صخراً

وعلا من برا من الماء جسمه

Exalted is one who molded his heart from unyielding rock

And ascended is one who was virtuous despite the water of life

لا ووجهِ الرياض أبلجَ والما

ءُ عيونٌ له فليس بأكمهْ

No, by the face of the meadows all clad in white

And the water of the spring, clear-eyed, not bleary

ووحقّ الغصون تحت نسيمٍ

ساحبٍ ذيله البليل وكمَّهْ

And by the sincerity of the branches beneath the blowing

Breeze, its trailing gown the soft rain and its collector

لا دعوت الملك الممدَّح فخر الد

دين إلاَّ لدفع كل ملمَّهْ

I called upon the praised King, pride of the faith

Only to repel every concern and sorrow