صَبَرْتُ لِلصَّدِّ حَتَّى عِيلَ مُصْطَبَرِي

وَضِقْتُ ذَرْعاً بِمَا أَرْبَى عَلَى الْقَمَرِ

I endured the rejection until my patience was utterly exhausted,

And I grew overwhelmed by one who surpasses the moon in beauty.

لَجَجْتُ فِي حُبِّهِ فَلَجَّ فِي ضَرَرِي

مَنْ مُنْصِفِي فِي سَقِيمِ الْجَفْنِ ذِي حَوَرِ

I persisted in loving him, and he persisted in my ruin.

Who will grant me justice against the one with languid, intensely dark eyes,

رَكِبْتُ بَحْرَ الْهَوَى فِيهِ عَلَى غَرَرِ

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ قُلْتُ قَوْلَةً عَظُمَتْ

I rode the sea of passion for him at great peril.

I seek God's forgiveness; I have uttered a grievous word,

جَاشَتْ بِهَا لَوْعَةُ الْحُبِّ التِي اضْطَرَمَتْ

بَلْ مَالِكِي عَادِلٌ حَالِي بِهِ انْتَظَمَتْ

Provoked by the anguish of a love that had fiercely flared up.

Rather, my master is just; through him my state is set right.

ظَبْيٌ لَهُ صُورَةٌ فِي الْحُسْنِ قَدْ قُسِمَتْ

بَيْنَ الْكَثِيبِ وَبَيْنَ الْغُصْنِ وَالزَّهَرِ

A gazelle whose beautiful form has been apportioned

Between the sand dune, the supple branch, and the blossom.

يَا صُورَةً عَلَّهَا الْحُسْنُ وَأَنْهَلَهَا

لَوْ أَوْرَدَتْ مُهْجَةَ اللَّهْفَانِ مَنْهَلَهَا

O image that beauty has nourished with first and second draughts,

If only it would bring the desperately longing soul to its spring,

مَا كَانَ أَجْمَلَهَا مَا كَانَ أَكْمَلَهَا

آلَتْ لَوَاحِظُهُ أَنْ لاَ يَعِيشَ لَهَا

How exquisitely beautiful it is, how perfectly complete!

His glances have sworn that none shall survive them,

صَبٌّ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُ فِي قَسْوَةِ الْحَجَرِ

No infatuated lover, even if he were as hard as stone.