ألشَيْمِ برقٍ أم شميمِ عَرارِ

أوْرى بجانحَتَيْهِ زنْدُ أُوارِ

Is it lightning in the clouds or the fragrance of meadows

Flapping its wings over it is the bird of foreboding

أم هزّ مِعطَفَهُ الغرامَ فمزّقَتْ

أيدي الصّبابةِ عنه ثوبَ وَقارِ

Or did passion dishevel its cloak, so the hands

Of youth tore from it the raiment of dignity

أم باكرتْهُ يدُ الهَوى بمُدامةٍ

صِرْفٍ فباتَ لها صريعَ خُمارِ

Or did the hand of love make it taste at dawn

A draft, so it remained for it prostrate and intoxicated

وعليلُ نفحةِ روضةٍ مطلولةٍ

باحتْ بما ضمّتْ من الأسرارِ

And the wafting breeze of an open garden

Disclosed what secrets it contained

ما استَنْشَقَتْ منها المعاطفُ بلّةً

إلا انثَنَتْ في القلبِ جُذوةَ نارِ

When the cloaks inhaled its subtle fragrance

The embers of fire curled up in the heart

حيثُ الغصونُ تميسُ في كُثبانِها

طرَباً لسجعِ ملاحنِ الأطيارِ

Where the boughs sway tipsily in its dunes

Agitated by the warbling of the birds

عبثتْ بها أيدي الصَّبا فتمايلتْ

فكأنّما شرِبَتْ بكأسِ عُقارِ

The hands of youth toyed with them so they swayed

As if they had drunk from a cup of poison

وتكلّلتْ تيجانُ أزهارِ الرُبى

بفرائدٍ من لؤلؤِ الأمطارِ

And the garlands of flowers were crowned

With necklaces of the pearls of rain

فالجوّ في مِسكيّةِ الغيمِ انبرى

والأرضُ في موشيّةِ الأزهارِ

So the air was scented with the musk of clouds

And the earth adorned with carpet of flowers

والغانياتُ تميسُ في أرجائها

مختالةً ميسَ القَنا الخَطّارِ

The singers sway languidly in its expanses

Swaying coquettishly like the swaying of a charmer

من كلِّ سافكةٍ بسيفِ فُتورِها

عمداً وما لِقَتيلها من ثارِ

By each murderess who slew with the sword of her charm

Deliberately, though her victim had no blood-revenge

كالبدرِ في بُعدِ المنالِ وفي السّنا

والريمِ في كحَلٍ وفرطِ نِفارِ

Like the moon in the remoteness of attainment, and in grace

Like a gazelle, in kohl, and overflowing charm

ومهفهفٍ عبثَ الصّبا بقوامِه

عبثَ الصَّبا بمعاطِفِ الأشجارِ

And a swaying, which the morning breeze disheveled,

Toying with the cloaks of the trees

وسنانَ ما حالَتْ قِداحُ جمالِه

إلا ثَنى قلبي من الأعشارِ

And the glitter of what the goblets of his beauty poured

Melted my heart with the most potent wine

عاطيتُهُ راحاً الى الشمسِ انتمَتْ

بزُجاجةٍ تُنْمى لضوءِ نَهارِ

I gave him respite to the sun but it inclined

Towards a flask growing in the light of day

والليلُ من جَوزائه وهلالِه

يختالُ بين قِلادةٍ وسِوارِ

And the night prides itself with its necklaces and crescent moon

Among necklaces and bracelets