أَفِق إِنَّ ظُلمَ الدَهرِ غَيرُ مُفيقِ
وَإِنَّ رَفيقَ البَثِّ شَرُّ رَفيقِ
Awake, for the injustice of fate does not sleep
And the companion of affliction is the worst companion
تَشَعَّبُ بي مُستَأنَفاتُ فُنونِهِ
طَريقاً إِلى الأَشجانِ غَيرَ طَريقي
Its diverse arts branch out within me
A path to sorrows, not my path
فَنَفسي فَريقا قِسمَةٍ أَغفَلَ الهَوى
فَريقاً وَأَودى شُغلُهُ بِفَريقِ
My soul in halves; passion neglected one
And busied him another half
وَفي كَبِدي نارُ اشتِياقِ كَأَنَّها
إِذا أُضرِمَت لِلبُعدِ نارُ حَريقِ
In my liver, a fire of longing as though
When kindled by separation, a blaze of ruin
لِذِكرى زَمانٍ بانَ مِنّا بِنَضرَةٍ
وَعَيشٍ مَضى بِالرَقَّتَينِ رَقيقِ
For the memory of days that shone on us
With delicate living, gone with gentleness
كَتَمتُكَ لَم أُخبِركَ عَن ذُلِّ عاشِقٍ
تَمادى بِهِ وَجدٌ وَدَلَّ عَشيقِ
I kept from you, did not tell you of a lover's woe
Fervor persisted, passion languished
وَإِنّي بَريءٌ مِن وِدادِ أَصادِقٍ
وِدادُهُمُ بِالغَيبِ غَيرُ صَدوقِ
And I am innocent of the love of false friends
Their hidden affection untrue
شَبيهانِ إِحساني بِهِم وَإِساءَتي
وَمِثلانِ بِرّي عِندَهُم وَعُقوقي
My kindness to them like my harshness
And my dutifulness like their disobedience
أَقولُ وَخَلّى صاحِبايَ إِرادَتي
وَقَد سَلَكا بِالأَمسِ غَيرَ طَريقي
I speak and my companions have forsaken my will
And yesterday walked not my path
خُذاني عَلى ميماسِ حِمصِ فَإِنَّني
إِلى خِلِّيَ الحِمصِيِّ جِدُّ مَشوقِ
Take me to the boulevards of Homs, for I
Pine for my friend of Homs intensely
أُشاقُ عَلى العَهدِ القَديمِ وَأَبتَغي
زِيادَةُ قُربٍ مِنهُ وَهوَ لَصيقي
I yearn for the olden days and seek
More intimacy though we are close
يَطولُ بِكَفٍّ في السَماحَةِ طَلقَةٍ
وَوَجهٍ إِلى المُستَرفِدينَ طَليقِ
With open hand in generosity lavish
And face to the needy gentle
لَهُ حَسَبٌ في الأَفدَمينَ مُقَدَّمٌ
وَنابِهُ فَخرٍ في الفَخارِ عَتيقِ
Of noble stock among the chiefs foremost
His family pride ancient treasures
مَتى اختُبِرَ الفِتيانُ عَن حَملِ مَغرَمٍ
فَمِن عاجِزٍ عَن آدِهِ وَمُطيقِ
When the youth were tested with passionate undertaking
He was not helpless, but capable
وَجَدتُ شَقيقَ الجودِ دونَهُمُ أَبا
عَلِيٍّ عَلى عِلّاتِهِ اِبنِ شَقيقِ
I found the bestower near to me, not them
My cousin Ali, scion of a brother
فَتىً لِدَنِيِّ الأَمرِ جِدُّ مُباعِدٍ
وَبِالخُلُقِ المَرضِيِّ جِدُّ خَليقِ
A man who spurns base matters utterly
And in pleasing manners utterly refined
أَعُدُّ بِهِ ذُخري لِيُسري وَعُسرَتي
وَمُعتَصَري في فَرجَتي وَمَضيقِ
Him I count my reserve in hardship and ease
And my confidante in relief and straits
وَأَدنى بَني عَمّي إِلَيَّ وَإِنَّما
دُنُوُّ اِبنِ عَمّي أَن يَكونَ صَديقي
The nearest of my cousins to me, indeed
The nearness of a cousin is to be a friend
