يا زماناً بالخيفِ كان وكنَّا

عنف الشوقُ بالمحبِّ المعنَّى

O time that was covert, while we were

The passion for the beloved expressed vehemence

أين لبنى أختُ الشباب وما

لذَّةُ من فارق الشبابَ ولبنى

Where are the daughters of youth and what is

The pleasure of one who parted from youth and its daughters

أتمنَّى تلك الليالي المنيراتِ

وجهد المحبِّ أن يتمنَّى

I wish for those bright nights

And the effort of the lover to wish

كم جنينا حوَّ المراشف لعساً

وهصرنا هيفَ المعاطف لدنا

How many embryos we cherished around pillows

And we whispered into the folds of the coats

وعتبنا الأيام بعدُ وما تز

داد إلا حقداً علينا وضغنا

And we blamed the days afterwards, but it only

Increased spite against us and our singing

يا ابنة العامريّ ما نقم الأقوا

م من عاشق إذا قيل حنَّا

O daughter of Al-Amiri, the times did not blame

A lover when it was said he pined

وأشاعوا أني جننت بليلى

ونعمْ عاشقٌ بليلاه جنَّا

And they spread that I went mad for Layla

And it is fine for a lover to go mad for his Layla

ما عليهم إني شغلت بخالٍ

فارغ القلب أو سهرت لوسنى

It does not matter to them that I was preoccupied with a mole

While my heart was empty, or that I stayed up late for a beauty spot

أنا أبكي أقسى من الصخر فلباً

بدموعٍ أندى من الغيث جفنا

I cry harder than rock, so my eyelid flows

With tears more copious than heavy rain

تابعاً سنَّة الغرام وإن خا

لفتُ ما شرّع الغرام وسنَّا

Following the way of passion, even if I disobeyed

What passion made lawful and established

ما حكيتِ المهاةَ طرفاً ولا الغص

نَ قواماً كلاَّ ولا البدرَ حسنا

You did not describe glance as temptation, nor posture as seduction

Not at all! Nor the full moon as beautiful

أنتِ أسجى لحظاً وأهيفُ اعطافاً

وأسنى وجههاً يشوق وأسنى

You are more enchanting of glance, most supple of gait

Most sublime and most lovely of face

حسدتْ قدَّكِ الغصون فلمَّا

بنتِ بانت رواقصاً تتثنَّى

The branches envied your height, then when

You walked, they swayed like dancing girls

وأدَّعى وجديَ الحمامُ فلمَّا

جدَّ وشكُ النوى بكيتُ وغنَّى

And the doves alleged my passion, but when

I was fervent, and the boughs shook, I wept and sang

فاحسبي مرسلَ النسيم وإن

بلّغ بخلاً على شذاكِ وضنَّا

So consider the messenger of the breeze, even if

He is stingy in delivering your fragrance, and we blamed him

واقطعي عادة الخيال فما أهدا

ه وهنٌإلاَّ وجدَّد وهنا

And break the habit of imagining, for it only guides

To fervor, unless it is renewed, to languishing

ذكرٌ لا تزال تبعث في الأحشا

ء لهفاً على الوصال وحزنا

A memory that continues to evoke

Yearning for union and sorrow in the wilds