سَقى الغَيثُ أَطلالَ الأَحِبَّةِ بِالحِمى
وَحاكَ عَلَيها ثَوبَ وَشيٍ مُنَمنَما
The rain quenched the ruins of the loved ones with passion
And wove upon it a dress of delicate fabric
وَأَطلَعَ فيها لِلأَزاهيرِ أَنجُما
فَكَم رَفَلَت فيها الخَرائِدُ كَالدُمى
And made flowers within it sprout like stars
So many partridges fluttered in it like blood
إِذِ العَيشُ غَضٌّ وَالزَمانُ غُلامُ
أَهيمُ بِجَبّارٍ يَعِزُّ وَأَخضَعُ
When life was tender and time a youth
I roam with an obstinate one who is mighty and I am subdued
شَذا المِسكِ مِن أَردانِهِ يَتَضَوَّعُ
إِذا جِئتُ أَشكوهُ الجَوى لَيسَ يَسمَعُ
The musk wafts from his soft skin
When I come to complain of passion he does not listen
فَما أَنا في شَيءٍ مِنَ الوَصلِ أَطمَعُ
وَلا أَن يَزورَ المُقلَتَينِ مَنامُ
I do not hope for any union with him
Or that sleep will visit my two eyelids
قَضَيبٌ مِنَ الرَيحانِ أَثمَرَ بِالبَدرِ
لَواحِظُ عَينَيهِ مُلِئنَ مِنَ السِحرِ
A twig of basil blossomed under the full moon
His roving eyes brimful of magic
وَديباجُ خَدَّيهِ حَكى رَونَقَ الخَمرِ
وَأَلفاظُهُ في النُطقِ كَاللُؤلُؤِ النَثرِ
And the brocade of his cheeks tells of the grace of wine
His words in speech like scattered pearls
وَريقَتُهُ في الإِرتِشافِ مُدامُ
سَقى جَنَباتِ القَصرِ صَوبُ الغَمائِمِ
And his saliva in sipping is wine
It watered the palace’s side, clouds overhanging
وَغَنّى عَلى الأَغصانِ وُرقُ الحَمائِمِ
بِقُرطُبَةَ الغَرّاءَ دارِ الأَكارِمِ
And sang to the branches as the doves' leaves rustled
With glorious Cordoba, abode of the generous
بِلادٌ بِها شَقَّ الشَبابُ تَمائِمي
وَأَنجَبَني قَومٌ هُناكَ كِرامُ
A land where my youth found its glory
And a noble people begot me there
فَكَم لِيَ فيها مِن مَساءٍ وَإِصباحِ
بِكُلِّ غَزالٍ مُشرِقِ الوَجهِ وَضّاحِ
So many mornings and evenings I had
With every bright-faced gazelle smiling
يُقَدِّمُ أَفواهَ الكُؤوسِ بِتُفّاحِ
إِذا طَلَعَت في راحِهِ أَنجُمُ الراحِ
Proffering the wine cups with apples
When stars of comfort shone in their respite
فَإِنّا لَإِعظامِ المُدامِ قِيامُ
وَيَومٍ لَدى النَبتِيِّ في شاطِئِ النَهرِ
For we rise to honor the flowing wine
And a day at the riverside park of the Nabateans
تُدارُ عَلَينا الراحُ في فِتيَةٍ زُهرِ
وَليسَ لَنا فَرشٌ سِوى يانِعِ الزَهرِ
The cup circulated amidst blossoming youths
With no furnishings but the lush flowers
يَدورُ بِها عَذبُ اللَمى أَهيَفُ الخَصرِ
بِفيهِ مِنَ الثَغرِ الشَنيبِ نِظامُ
The slender waists moved about gracefully
Their mouths like pearls in a string
وَيَومٍ بِجَوفِيِّ الرَصافَةِ مُبهِجِ
مَرَرنا بِرَوضِ الأُقحُوانِ المُدَبَّجِ
And the most blessed days of the kites’ return
And the frolic we etched into those robes
وَقابَلَنا فيهِ نَسيمُ البَنَفسَجِ
وَلاحَ لَنا وَردٌ كَخَدٍّ مُضَرَّجِ
The black and white patterned mantles
When they were clad in those splendid robes
نَراهُ أَمامَ النورِ وَهوَ إِمامُ
وَأَكرِم بِأَيّامِ العُقابِ السَوالِفِ
No blame is on shedding inhibitions
And how many scenes were by the red hill and its bridge
وَلَهوٍ أَثَرناهُ بِتِلكَ المَعاطِفِ
بِسودِ أَثيثِ الشَعرِ بيضِ السَوالِفِ
Where we sat on the red ground of the meadow
And a gazelle served us the draft of his wine
إِذا رَفَدوا في وَشيِ تِلكَ المَطارِفِ
فَلَيسَ عَلى خَلعِ العِذارِ مُلامُ
Describing my body’s frailty by his slender waist
His roving glances amidst soft singing were arrows
وَكَم مَشهَدٍ عِندَ العَقيقِ وَجِسرِهِ
قَعَدنا عَلى حُمرِ النَباتِ وَصُفرِهِ
So say to a time whose pleasures have passed
And whose traditions have crumbled over the course of nights
وَظَبيٍ يُسَقّينا سُلافَةَ خَمرِهِ
حَكى جَسَدي في السُقمِ رِقَّةَ خَصرِهِ
How much its evening breeze blew gently
And stars appeared to illuminate its night
لَواحِظُهُ عِندَ الرُنُوِّ سِهامُ
فَقُل لِزَمانٍ قَد تَوَلّى نَعيمُهُ
Upon you from passionate morning greeting, peace
وَرَثَّت عَلى مَرِّ اللَيالي رُسومُهُ
وَكَم رَقَّ فيهِ بِالعَشِيِّ نَسيمُهُ
وَلاحَت لِساري اللَيلِ فيهِ نُجومُهُ
عَلَيكَ مِنَ الصَبِّ المَشوقِ سَلامُ
