نَقّبوهُنَّ خِشيةَ العُشّاقِ

أوَ لم تَكْفِ فتْنةُ الأحداقِ

They veiled them for fear of lovers,

Or didn't the temptation of glances suffice?

إنّ في الأعينِ المِراضِ لَشُغْلاً

للمُعَنّى عن الخدودِ الرِّقاق

Eyes harbor illness and so distract

Meaning from soft, delicate cheeks.

كُلُّ ما فاتَ في اللّيالي المَواضي

فهْو في ذِمّةِ اللَّيالي البَواقى

All that was lost on bygone nights -

It is owed by the remaining nights.

جئْنَ كالدّارِعينَ للحَرْبِ لا يُبْ

دِينَ إلاّ عنِ السُّيوفِ الرِّقاق

They came like warriors for battle, not showing

Anything but soft, delicate swords.

عَلِمَ اللهُ كيف لُطْفُك للخَلْ

قِ فأعطاكِها على اسْتِحْقَاق

God knew your kindness to creation, so gave you

What you deserved.

أَكرَمَتْنا فَرُبَّ أخْلاقِ بُرْدٍ

مُلئتْ من مَكارمِ الأخلاق

You honored us, though the manners of many

Are filled with cold manners.

فعَجيبٌ لو عِشْتُ بعدَ التَّنائي

وعَزيزٌ لو مُتُّ قبلَ التّلاقي

So it's strange if I live after parting,

And rare if I die before we meet!

كنتِ روحي الّتي بها العيشُ حتّى

رُعْتِ نَفْسي فُجاءةً بالفِراق

You were my soul, by which life continued

Until you tended my breath suddenly by parting.

بأبي أنتِ ما أنا اليومَ إلاّ

نِضْوُ جِسْمٍ ما رُوحُه فيه باق

By my father you are - today I am but

The shell of a body whose soul isn't in it!