لقَلَّدْتَنِيها مِنَّةً لَيسَ تُجْحَدُ

وأَسْدَيتَها عندي يداً جَلَّتِ اليَدُ

You granted it to me as a gift that cannot be denied

And you bestowed upon me a hand of great generosity

وأَغْرَبْتَ في بَثِّي الجَميلَ فَلَمْ تَزَلْ

تُعَانُ علَى إسْدَائِهِ وتُؤَيّدُ

You were kind in my affection, and did not cease

To aid me in expressing it and support me

رَأيتَ ولوْعِي بالحَبِيبِ فَلمْ تَزَلْ

تُعينُ عَليهِ ما اسْتَطعتَ وتُسْعدُ

You saw my passion for the beloved, and did not stop

Helping me as much as you could, and making me happy

فَمُذْ عَزَّ مَرْئيّاً نَصَبْتُ لطيفِهِ

لَدَى النَّومِ أَشْرَاكَ الكَرَى تَتَصَيَّدُ

So when he became distant, I set up for his phantom

By my bed the snares of sorrow lying in wait

فَقُلتُ أرَانِي النَّومُ طَيْفَكَ سَائِراً

وإيَّايَ فِيما تَنْتَحيهِ وتَقْصدُ

I said, does sleep show me your image passing by

While I am in what you avoid and seek?

فَبَيْنَا كذلِكَ إِذْ بَدا مَنْ تُحِبُّهُ

وقَدْ زَادَ حُسْناً فَوقَ ما كُنْتَ تَعْهَدُ

While thus, he who you love appeared

And had gained more beauty beyond what you knew

وقَالُوا لَو انَّ الحُسْنَ يُعْبَدُ رَبُّهُ

لَكَانَ لِما فيهِ من الحُسْنِ يُعْبَدُ

They said, if beauty itself were worshipped

For the beauty it contains, it would be worshipped

مُحَيّاً يُرِيكَ اللَّيلَ صُبْحاً وطُرَّةٌ

يَرُوحُ لَهَا وَجْهُ الضُّحى وهو أسْوَدُ

Radiant, showing you night as dawn and smoothness

Whose morning face dims while still black

ومَجْدُولِ قَدٍّ كالقَضِيبِ مرَنَّحٍ

يَكَادُ من التَّهيِيفِ واللِّينِ يُعقدُ

With a supple waist like a gently bending rod

That almost knots and bends from softness

ومِن بَارعِ الحُسْنِ البَدِيعِ رَوائِعٌ

تَقُومُ لأدْنَاهَا النُّفُوسُ وتَقْعَدُ

And from the hands of the skilled beauty, marvels

At which souls stand in awe and sit

فأَلفَيْتَني عَنْهُ لِعِلمِكَ أنَّنِي

مَتَى أرهُ لا أسْتطِعْ أتجَلَّدُ

You found me, knowing that when I see him

I cannot control myself or show patience

فَلَمْ يُغْنِ شَيئاً ما أردْتَ ودلَّني

سَنَاهُ ونَشْرٌ عندَهُ المِسْكُ يَكسَدُ

So what you wanted was no use, and you showed me

His brightness and the musk shedding fragrance from him

وحَرَّكَني شَوقٌ أَمَالَ إليهِ بِي

كَمَا مَالَ بالهِيمِ الخَوامِسِ مَوْرِدِ

A longing inclined me toward him

As the thirsty beast inclines toward the watering place

فَعَارضْتُهُ أشْكُو جَفَاهُ بِعَبْرَةٍ

يَمُتُّ بِها دَعْوَى الغَرامِ فَيَشْهَدُ

I complained to him of his aloofness with tears

At which the claim of love dies and bears witness

وآبَتْ كَما آبَ امرُؤٌ أَمَّ حَاجَةً

فَرُدَّ وما بُلَّتْ بِحَاجتِهِ يَدُ

But he turned away unaffected, like a man whose need

Was not met, and whose hand returned empty