فَدَيْتُك كَمْ عَلَيَّ عَلَيْكَ عَذْلُ

وَلَيْسَ لَدَيْكَ لِلْعُشّاقِ عَدْلُ

I ransom you, though you wrong me, you are not just to lovers,

And how much I suffer when I long for you,

وَكَمْ أَطْوِى إِذَا وَافَيْتَ شَوْقاً

كَأَنِّي عِنْدَ شَمْسِ سَنَاكَ ظِلُّ

As though I were in the shade of your radiant sun.

Your union hides separation for this slave,

وِصَالُكَ مُضمِرٌ لِلْعَبْدِ هَجْرٌ

وَهَجْرُكَ مُظْهِرٌ لِلودّ وَصْلُ

And your separation reveals affection and union.

My love, it's said poetry is a branch,

حَبيبي كَيْفَ قِيلَ الشَّعْرُ فَرْعٌ

وَشَعْرُكَ لِلْمَلاحَةِ فِيكَ أَصْلُ

Yet your poetry on playfulness is fundamental.

By my soul, you whose cheeks are roses,

بِرُوحِي مَنْ عَلَى خَدَّيْهِ وَرْدٌ

سَقَاهُ بِأَدْمُعِي وَبْلٌ وَطَلُّ

I watered them with my tears, affliction, and dangling tresses.

The niggardly complained of the sweetness of union,

شَبِيهُ الرِّيمِ ضَنَّ بِطيبِ وَصْلٍ

فَحَدِّثْ عَنْ كَرِيمٍ فيهِ بُخْلُ

So speak of the generous one in whom is stinginess.

When I tried to untie the band, its sleeves said,

إذَا حَاولْتُ حَلَّ البَنْدِ قَالَتْ

مَعَاطِفُه حِمَانا لا يُحَلُّ

“We protect him, untie not!”

If his cheek is revealed from his mantle,

وَإِنْ جُلِيَتْ بِوَجْنَتِهِ مُدامٌ

يُرى لِعذارهِ دَوْرٌ وَنَزْلُ

His tender skin and home are seen.

And his cheek sent fragrance scattering forth

وَأَرْسَلَ صُدْغهُ عَرْفاً نِثَاراً

بِخدٍّ مَا لَهُ فِي الوَرْدِ مِثْلُ

With a cheek that has no match among roses.

Excellence and beauty are not the sons of Sahl,

فَلَيْسَ الفَضْلُ والحَسنُ بنُ سَهْلٍ

وَإِنْ يَكُ فِيهما مَنْحٌ وَبَذْلُ

Even if they include favor and generosity.

Like your munificence or your nature one day of accord,

كَجُودِكَ أَوْ كَخُلْقِكَ يَوْمَ سِلْمٍ

فَذَا فَضْلٌ وَذَا حَسنٌ وسَهْلُ

So this is excellence, this beauty, this ease.