هَلِ الوَجدُ إِلّا لَوعَةٌ أَعقَبَت أَسىً

فَبالجِسمِ مِنها نَهكَةٌ وَنُحولُ

Is longing anything but sorrow that brought regret?

So my body is emaciated and I am sallow.

أَوِ الشَّوقُ إِلّا أَن تَرى مَن تُحِبُّهُ

قَريباً وَلا يُرجى إِلَيهِ وصُولُ

Or yearning, except to see the one you love

Nearby, though reaching him is not hoped for.

فَما لَكَ إِن أَهدَيتَ يَوماً تَحيَّةً

إِلَيهِ سِوى البَرقِ اللَموعِ رَسولُ

So why, if you gave him a greeting one day,

Is it anything but a flashing lightning bolt as messenger?

هَوىً دونَهُ مِن عامِرٍ ذو حَفيظَةٍ

يَصولُ فَتُروَى بِالنَّجيعِ نُصولُ

A passion, though below it, from a jealous lover

Who rages, so I am sated by complaining.

ذَكَرتُكَ يا ظَبيَ الصَّريمِ وَلِلدُّجى

عَلَيَّ سُدولٌ وَالدُّموعُ هُمُولُ

I remembered you, O gazelle of Sirama, and because of gloom

Upon me are coverings, and tears pouring down.

أَراكَ بِقَلبي وَالمَهامِهُ بَينَنا

وَفي اللَيلِ مُذ شَطَّ النَّوى بِكَ طولُ

I see you in my heart, and the obstacles between us,

And at night, since the palms bent with you are long.

كَأَنَّكَ وَالحَيَّ الَّذينَ تَدَيَّروا

ضَريَّةَ عِندي في الفُؤادِ نُزولُ

As if you and the living who turned away

Are a flock that descended into my heart.

أُراعِي نُجومَ اللَيلِ وَهْيَ طوالِعٌ

إِلى أَن يُضيءَ الفَجرُ وَهيَ أُفولُ

I watch the stars of night while they rise

Until dawn shines and they set.

جَنَحنَ حَيارى لِلمَغيبِ كَأَنَّها

نَواظِرُ مَسَّتْها الكَلالَةُ حُولُ

They incline confusedly toward the horizon as if

Their glances were touched by weariness.

وَلَولاكَ لَم يَعبَثْ بِطَرْفي سُهادُهُ

وَلا خاضَ سَمعي بالمَلامِ عَذولُ

And were it not for you, sleep would not disturb my eyelid,

Nor would blame probe my hearing.

أَتَذكُرُ أَيّاماً مَضَينَ بِذي الغَضَى

سَقاهُنَّ رَجَّافُ العَشيِّ هَطولُ

Do you remember days gone by, with resentment

Whose showers were poured by evening conversations?

إِذِ العَيشُ غَضٌّ وَالشَبابُ بِمائِهِ

وَفي حَدَثانِ الدَّهرِ عَنكَ غُفولُ

When life was full of youth and in its water

And during the joys of fate you were heedless of me.

وَنَحنُ بِرَبعٍ لَم تَطأْهُ نوائِبٌ

وَلا اِنسَحَبَتْ لِلرِّيحِ فيهِ ذُيولُ

And we were in a meadow untouched by afflictions

Where no robes were dragged away by the wind.

تُباكِرُ عُوداً مِن بَشامٍ تَعُلُّهُ

بِفيكَ وَما لاحَ الصَباحُ شَمولُ

You hurried a fragrant 'ud from Basham adorned

With you, and the morning had not shone fully.

إِذا هُوَ لَم يورِقْ وَقَدْ ذاقَ طَعمَهُ

فَمِن عَجَبٍ أَن يَعتَريهِ ذُبولُ

Yet if it did not leaf out, having tasted its flavor,

Is it any wonder that wilting overcame it?

شَغَلتُ قَريضي بالنَّسيبِ فَأَصبَحَتْ

شَوارِدُهُ في الخافِقَيْنِ تَجولُ

I busied my poetry with composition until

Its ideas wandered between my pulsating hearts.

تُغَنّى بِهِ سَفْرٌ وَتُطْرَى كَواعِبٌ

وَتُبكى رُسومٌ رَثَّةٌ وَطُلولُ

A journey is sung by it, and maidens dance,

And faint, scattered traces weep.

وَكُنتُ أَقولُ الشِّعرَ فيهِ تَكَلُّفاً

فَعَلَّمَني حُبّيكَ كَيفَ أَقولُ

I used to say poetry artificially,

But my love for you taught me how to speak.