حيّيتِ يا سلمى بخوَّلَ واسلمي

إن حال دونك ملُّ أبيض مخذمِ

I bid you peace, O Salma, with yearning and peace

If a white, wrinkled veil stands between us

ما بالُ ورد حماك قد حرمتهِ

يومَ الوداع على العطاش الحوَّمِ

Why has the rose that guards you deprived me

On the day of parting, of the passionate, ardent one

لا ذاقت ما ذاق الكئيب ولا سرى

بحشاكِ وجدُ المستهام المغرمِ

It has not tasted what the sad one has tasted, nor delighted

In your love, ardor fills the enamored, infatuated one

قصدتْ جفونكِ من تخوَّنهُ الضَّنا

ونعت طيوف هواك غير مهوّمِ

It sought your eyelids, from the one whom falseness has betrayed

And described the specters of your love as not concerned

وفرت سهمَ القلب يوم سويقةٍ

والنعف من رشفات تلك الأسهمِ

And unleashed the arrow of my heart on the day of Suwayqah

And the spear points from the sipping of those arrows

وأغرَّ لدنِ القدِّ قاسٍ قلبهُ

مرّ القلى والصدِّ عذبِ المبسمِ

And an obstinate heart was tempted by the softness of the hand

Bitter exile and blocking the sweetly smiling one

ألقاهُ مبتسماً وأبكي لوعةً

فالدرُّ بين مبدّدٍ ومنظّمِ

I meet it smiling and weep from anguish

For the pearl is between dispersed and strung

والليل في عقد الكواكب رافلٌ

يزهى بعمر شبيبةٍ لم يهرمِ

And the night is clad in a necklace of stars

Shining with the youth of one not grown old

حلَّلتَ قتلي والهوى من شرعهِ

بيد الجمال يحلُّ قتل المسلمِ

You allowed my murder while love is among its lawful

By the hand of beauty, killing the Muslim is lawful

فأعجب لحقف نقا ينوء ببانةٍ

ينعتْ بشمسٍ تحت ليلٍ مظلمِ

So I wonder at the ignorance of the critic blaming

One who attributes the sun under a dark night

وأتى عذار الوجنتين برقمهِ

فخطرت في ثوب الجمال المعلمِ

And the blenching of the two cheeks brought its number

So it appeared on the dress of perfect beauty

وأنا الفقير من السلوِّ وبي غنى

للوجد فأطرب للغنيِّ المعدمِ

While I am poor for yearning, and rich with love

For ecstasy, and I am joyous for the destitute, deprived one