عَينايَ شامَت دَمي وَالشُؤمُ في النَظَرِ

بُعداً لِعَينٍ تَبيعُ النَومَ بِالسَهَرِ

My eyes saw the blood in me, and ill omens in the looks,

Away with an eye that sells sleep for vigilance,

يا مَن لِظَمآنَ يَغشى الماءَ قَد مَنَعوا

مِنهُ الوُرودَ وَأَبقَوه عَلى الصَدَرِ

O You from whom thirst overwhelms the water they have denied,

And left it flowing on the chest,

أُخفي الهَوى وَهوَ لا يَخَفى عَلى أَحَدٍ

إِنّي لَمُستَتِرٌ في غَيرِ مُستَتَرِ

I concealed passion, and it cannot be hidden from anyone,

I am a concealer in other than a concealer,

فَأَكثِروا أَو أَقِلّوا مِن مَلامِكُمُ

فَكُلُّ ذَلِكَ مَحمولٌ عَلى القَدَرِ

So increase or decrease your blame,

All that is borne on fate,

لَو كانَ جَدّي سَعيداً لَم يَكُن غَرَضاً

قَلبي لِمَن قَلبُهُ أَقسى مِنَ الحَجَرِ

If my grandfather Saeed had been happy, my heart would not have been

A target for one whose heart is harder than stone,

إِن أَحسَنَ الفِعلَ لَم يُضمِر تَعَمُّدَهُ

وَإِن أَساءَ تَمادى غَيرَ مُعتَذِرِ

If he did good he did not intend it,

And if he did bad he insisted without apologizing,

وَأَخلَفُ الناسِ مَوعوداً وَأَمطَلُهُم

وَعداً وَأَنقَضُهُم لِلعَهدِ ذي المِرَرِ

And the most violating of promises of people and their most procrastinating

Of a promise and their most violating of a compact full of bitterness,

إِذا كَتَبتُ كِتاباً لَم أَجِد ثِقَةً

يُنهي إِلَيكِ وَيأتي عَنكِ بِالخَبَرِ

Whenever I wrote a letter I could not find,

Confidence to end it to you and bring the news about you,

ما ضَرَّ أَهلَكِ أَلاّ يَنظُروا أَبَداً

ما دُمتِ فيهِم إِلى شَمسٍ وَلا قَمَرِ

It did your family no harm that they do not look forever

As long as you are among them to a sun or a moon,

إِذا أَرَدتُ سُلُوّاً كانَ ناصِرَكُم

قَلبي وَما أَنا مِن قَلبي بمُنتَصِرِ

Whenever I wanted a request, my heart was your supporter

And I am not from my heart a victor,

هَل تَذكُرينَ فَدَتكِ النَفسُ مَجلِسَنا

يَومَ اللّقاءِ فَلَم أَنطِق مِنَ الحَصَرِ

Do you remember when we met and my soul ransomed me,

On the day of meeting, I did not speak out of being overwhelmed

لا أَرفَعُ الطَرفَ حَولي حينَ أَرفَعُهُ

بُقيا عَلَيكِ وَكُلُّ الحَزمِ في الحَذَرِ

I do not raise my eyes around me when I raise them,

Remaining upon you and all the composure is on the guard,

قالَت قَعَدتَ فَلَم تَنظُر فَقُلتُ لَها

شَغَلتِ قَلبي فَلَم أَقدِر عَلى النَظَرِ

She said you sat and did not look, so I said to her,

You distracted my heart so I could not look

غَطّى هَواكِ عَلى قَلبي فَدَلَّهَهُ

وَالقَلبُ أَعظَمُ سُلطاناً مِنَ البَصَرِ

Your love covered my heart so it guided it,

And the heart has greater authority than sight,

وَضَعتُ خَدّي لِأَدنى مِن يُطيفُ بِكُم

حَتّى اِحتُقِرتُ وَما مِثلي بَمحتَقَرِ

I put my cheek to get closer to those strolling around you

Until I was despised and the like of me is not to be despised,

لا عارَ في الحُبِّ إِنَّ الحُبَّ مَكرُمَةً

لَكِنَّهُ رُبُّما أَزرى بِذي الخَطَرِ

There is no shame in love, for love is an honor,

But sometimes it troubles those in danger.