أضاءَ ثغرُ سليمى ليلةَ العلمِ

تنسُّمَ الصبح في داجٍ من الظلمِ

The beauty of Selma's smile illuminated the night of knowledge

The dawn breathed in a darkness made of shadows

وحدثتني بجفنيها محاذرةً

ما لي يدٌ بهما من مقلةٍ وفمِ

And her eyelids conversed with me cautiously

I have no control over them or their glance and mouth

لا جاهليةَ في الإسلام نعرفها

والعينُ عاكفةٌ منهُ على صنمِ

There is no ignorance in Islam that we know

And the eye is busy worshipping from it an idol

وعيرتني مشيبي وهي ضاحكةٌ

ضحكَ الشبابِ وما بالعهد من قدمِ

And she mocked my grey hair while she laughs

The laughter of youth, though the era knows no antiquity

نار الهموم تبزُّ الشعر صبغتهُ

هذا الرَّمادُ بقايا ذلك الفحمِ

The fire of worries dyes the hair its color

This ash is the remnants of that coal

من يصحبِ الدهر ينكر لون لمَّتهُ

وهكذا تفعل الأيَّام باللّممِ

Whoever accompanies time will find its color changed

And so do days treat hopes

والشيبُ حلي النهى لو كنت عالمةً

طرفٌ بلا شيبةٍ ثوبٌ بلا علمِ

While grey hair is the ornament of maturity, if you were wise

An eyelash without grey hair is a dress without knowledge

كم أكظمُ الوجد لا سعدى بكاظمةٍ

مع الشباب ولا سلمى بذي سلمِ

How much passion I swallow without a consoler

With the youth or Selma of peace

خذ ما ابثك عن أيامنا بهما

فليس عندي على سرٍ بمتّهَمِ

Take what I have confessed about our days in both of them

For I have no secret to someone accusatory

لم تحظَ عيني بها والطَّيفُ يشهد في

عزل السهاد ولا في دولة الحلمِ

My eyes never saw her, though my phantom bears witness

In the isolation of bliss or in the state of the dream

ولست أشكو سوى سلسال ريقتها

فإنَّ نار الجوى في مائها الشَّيمِ

And I complain of nothing but the chain of her saliva

For the fire of love is in its water a disgrace

وأزمة في الهوى جاد الخيال بها

وهناً فكان الغنى فيها أخا العدمِ

And there was crisis in love, the imagination brought it

And so was destitution in it the brother of nonexistence

ضيفٌ ألمَّ ونحر الدمع بغيتهُ

وبغية الضَّيف نحر الشاء والغنمِ

A guest came in pain and shed tears in his love

And the love of a guest is the sacrifice of sheep and cattle

يسعى لشمسين من وجهٍ وضوء طلاً

خلال صبحين من كأسٍ ومبتسمِ

Seeking two suns from a face and ablution for deprivation

Through two dawns from a cup and smile

وحجبتها العوالي فهي سارقة

معاني الهيف الموموق والهضمِ

The high places screened her, so she is a thief

Of the meanings of the compatible and digestible carpet

كم ريع سربٍ فلم آمن ولا جزعت

وطال ليلٌ فلم تسهر ولم أنمِ

How much a flock's pasture, but I never felt safe or panicked

And a long night, but she never stayed up while I did not sleep

يبقى مساحب برديها وما وطئت

وطال ليلٌ فبم تسهر ولم أنمِ

What remains is the memory of her coolness that I never trod

And a long night, so what does she stay up for when I did not sleep

ولائمٍ في العلى والغيد قلت له

لو ذقتَ طعم الهوى والمجد لم تلمِ

Blaming in the high and low places, I told him

If you tasted the flavor of love and glory, you would not blame

ما صبوتي صبوةٌ يرجى السلو لها

كأنها نشوة الكندي بالكرمِ

My morning drink is no drink that hopes for berries

As if it were the intoxication of wine with generosity