صادَ الأُسود بِمُقلة وَسَناءِ
وَسَبا العُقول بِطَلعة وَسَناءِ
The blacks hunted with their eyelids and teeth,
And plundered minds with their appearance and beauty.
وَأَتى بِأَزرق ثَوبِهِ مُتَوَشِحاً
فَكَأَنَّهُ بَدر بَدا بِسَماءِ
He came, dressed in his blue garment,
Like a full moon rising in the sky.
خَجلت شُموس الأُفق مِنهُ عِندَما
وافى بِتلك الطَلعة الحَسناءِ
The suns of the horizon were shy before him
When he came with that graceful stature.
وَالقَضب خَرت سُجَّداً لَما بَدا
مُتَخَطِراً بِالقامة الهَيفاءِ
The branches bowed down when
He strode by with his tall, slender figure.
وَبِلَيل طَرتهِ ضَللت وَإِنَّني
مِن صُبح غُرتهِ وَجَدت هدائي
Lost in the night of his tresses, I was-
The dawn of his face led me back.
فَتَبارك الرَحمَن ما أَحلاهُ مِن
رَشاء غَدا يَرعاهُ في الأَحشاءِ
So blessed is the Merciful for what beautiful
Gazelle he created, grazing in the meadows!
ما كُنت أَحسَب قَبل صَيد الظَبي لي
إِن الأُسود فَرائس لِظباءِ
Before hunting the gazelle, I never thought
That the blacks were prey to the whites.
حَتّى طَعنت بأَسمر مِن قَدِهِ
وَقَتَلت مِن أَلحاظِهِ بِظِباءِ
Until I stabbed with my brown spear
And killed with my white arrows.
فَإِذا رَنا وَإِذا اِنثَنى لا تَذكُروا
بيض الظِبا مَع صَعدة سَمراءِ
So when he moans and when he swoons, remember not
The whites along with the tawny browns!
سُلطان حسن في المَلاحة قَدهُ
قَد خَصَهُ مِن شِعرِهِ بِلِواءِ
The sultan of beauty with his neck is one
Whose hair distinguished him with a banner.
وَبِوَجنَتَيهِ عَجائب مِن بَعضِها
نار يَشب ضرامها بِالماءِ
In his cheeks, wonders, some of which
Are fire whose embers are lit by water!
قَمر بِأَعلا جَلق مُستَوطن
وَمَنازل الأَقمار في العَلياءِ
A moon at the highest horizon residing
With the stations of moons in the Highest.
كَم رُمت مِنهُ قُربة فَتَجيبني
أَلحاظُهُ اللاتي سَفَكنَ دِمائي
How many times have I been hit by his glances -
Those glances that spilled my blood!
مَن رامَ يَحيى فَليَمُت في حُبِهِ
حَتّى يَعدُّ غَداً مِن الأَحياءِ
Whoever wants to live should die in his love
So he can count himself with the living tomorrow!
