حَموا بِكُعوبِ السّمْرِ بِيضَ الكَواعِبِ

وَصانُوا من الأَتْرابِ دُرَّ الترائبِ

They protected the fair-skinned maidens with reddish heels,

And shielded the radiant pearls from the motes of dust.

وَهَزُّوا العَوالي مِنْ أَكفٍّ قَوابِضٍ

رِقابَ المعالي بالسُّيوفِ القَواضِبِ

They shook the lofty heights with clenched, forceful hands,

Severing the necks of the eminent with sharp swords.

فكم حَاجبٍ يَلْقَاكَ مِنْ دونِ أَعْيُنٍ

وكَمْ أَعْيُنٍ تَلْقاكَ من دُون حَاجبِ

How many eyebrows will meet you without eyes!

How many eyes will meet you without brows!

وكَمْ بِتُّ أرعى مِنْ بُدُورٍ طَوالِعٍ

وَأَرْعَى عُهوداً مِنْ شُموسٍ غواربِ

How many young ladies fairer than the rising moons,

And more chaste than setting suns have I herded!

وسَاروا فيا للَّه كَمْ مِنْ حَبائلٍ

تَصيدُ قُلُوباً مِنْ عُيونِ الحَبائبِ

And how they marched! By Allah, so many snares

That capture hearts from the eyes of the fair ladies!

جَلوْنَ على الأَحْدَاقِ خَيْرَ سَوالفٍ

وكُنَّ على العُشَّاقِ شَرَّ سَوالِبِ

They revealed the best intimate talk to the cheeks,

And were the worst separation for the lovers.

بحمرة خدّ لا تُصابُ بِعارضٍ

وَخَمْرةِ ثَغْر لا تُعافُ لشاربِ

With a redness of cheek that is not marred by a freckle,

And wine of a mouth that cannot be resisted by any drinker.

ألا في سبيلِ الحُبّ يا عَلْوَ مُهْجَةٌ

عليها لكِ الأَشْواقُ ضَرْبَةُ لازبِ

Indeed, for love - O most adorable cheeks -

Upon which yearnings cut like a destructive blade.

قِفي ودّعينا قَدْ بَدَتْ غُرْبَةُ النَّوى

وآذننا بِالبَيْنِ سَيْرُ الركائبِ

Stop! Bid us farewell, for the departure of companions appears,

And the traveling litters summon us to separation.