أَهذي كَفُّهُ أَم غَوثُ غَيثٍ

وَلا بَلَغَ السَحابُ وَلا كَرامَه

Is this his palm or the help of pouring rain,

Nor has the cloud reached its full height and honor,

وَهَذا بِشرُهُ أَم لَمعُ بَرقٍ

وَمَن لِلبَرقِ فينا بِالإِقامَه

Is this his good news or the flash of lightning,

And who will make the lightning stay with us,

وَهَذا الجَيشُ أَم صَرفُ اللَيالي

وَلا سَبَقَت حَوادِثُها زَحامَه

Is this army or the passage of nights,

Nor have its events outrun their rush,

وَهَذا الدَهرُ أَم عَبدٌ لَدَيهِ

يُصَرِّفُ عَن عَزيمَتِهِ زِمامَه

Is this time or a slave under its command,

Who turns its will's reins away from it,

وَهَذا نَصلُ غِمدٍ أَم هِلالٌ

إِذا أَمسى كَنونٍ أَم قُلامَه

Is this a sword's blade or crescent moon,

When dusk descends, a starling or dove,

وَهذا التُربُ أَم خَدٌّ لَثَمنا

فَآثارُ الشِفاهِ عَلَيهِ شامَه

Is this dust or a cheek where my kisses

Left their lip-prints stamped on it forever,

وَهَذا الدُرُّ مَنثورٌ وَلَكِن

أَروني غَيرَ أَقلامي نِظامَه

Are these pearls scattered or can you show me,

A necklace with another sort of thread,

وَهَذي رَوضَةٌ تَندى وَسَطري

بِها غُصنٌ وَقافِيَتي حَمامَه

This is a garden freshly watered, and branches

Of verse whose rhymes are like ringdoves,

وَهَذا الكَأسُ رُوِّقَ مِن بَناني

وَذِكرُكَ كانَ مِن مِسكٍ خِتامَه

This is a cup flavored by wild mint,

And so was your memory the seal of musk.