رَشِيقَ القَامَةِ النَّضِرهْ

لَقَدْ أَصْمَيْتَ بالنَظْرَهْ

Slender in stature, fresh and green

With a single glance, you made me blind

وَقَدْ سَوَّدْتَ حَظّي مِنْ

كَ يا أَبْهَى الوَرَى غُرَّهْ

You have darkened my fate, O fairest of creation

With the darkness of moles, eyelashes and dimples

سَوادَ الخالِ وَالمُقْلَ

ةِ والعارِضِ والطُّرَّهْ

An old love from one long estranged

In passion though still impassioned

قَديمَ الهَجْرِ مَنْ لِفتىً

قَديمٍ في الهَوَى هَجْرَهْ

How often did he meet you with distance and promises and aloofness

How often does he complain while you don't care to unwrap his anguish

فَكَمْ تَلقاهُ بالإِبْعا

دِ وَالإِيْعَادِ والنَّفْرَهْ

We have seen those who attained their love and those who were spurned

But I exceeded them all in suffering

وَكَمْ يَشْكُو وَلا تُطْرَ

حُ في قُفَّتِهِ كِسْرهْ

Will you grant or allow

Just once, a union?

رَأَيْنَا مَنْ جَنَى وَجَفا

وَلَكِنْ زِدْتُ في كَرَّهْ

For I have lost all patience and composure

Your estrangement has made me hate my very being

فَهَلْ تَمْنَحُ أَوْ تَسْمَحُ

بِالوَصْلِ وَلَوْ مَرَّة

My excuse is a moon that shows you

Its radiant cheek

فَقَدْ أصْبَحْتُ لَا أمْلِ

كَ مِنْ صَبْرِي وَلَا ذَرَّهْ

When it mingles with the wine cups

As it meets their brims

وَقَدْ صَيَّرَني هَجْرُ

كَ في أُخْتِ ما أكْرَهْ

I see you as Egyptian gold

Above pure silver

عَذِيري فِيهِ مِنْ قَمَرٍ

يُرِيكَ بِخَدِّهِ الزُّهْرَهْ

إذا قارَنَ بِالأَكْؤُسِ

إِذْ يَمْزِجُهَا ثَغْرَهْ

أَراكَ الذَّهَبَ المِصْريَّ

فَوْقَ الفِضَّةِ النُّقرهْ