نَسَجوا مِنَ اللَيلِ الشُعورا

وَجَلَوا مِنَ الصُبحِ البُدورا

They wove the feelings from the night

And extracted the pearls from the dawn

وَلَوَوا مِنَ القُضبانِ وَال

كُثبِ الرَوادِفَ وَالخُصورا

They twisted the prison bars and the

Ribs of the saddles and the chests

إِن قُلتُ يَحكونَ النُجو

مَ صَدَقتُ يَحكُوهُنَّ نورا

If I said they told of stars

I was right, they tell of lights

وَمَتى سَمِعتَ بِنَجمِ أُف

قٍ لَيسَ يَألَفُ أَن يَغورا

And when did you hear of a falling star

That does not dislike to disappear

أَو قُلتُ يَحكونَ الظِبا

ءِ فَلَم أُرِد إِلّا النُفورا

Or if I said they told of gazelles

I meant nothing but aloofness

وَمَتى رَأَيتَ الظَبيَ إِن

مارَيتَ يَكتَنِسُ الصُدورا

And when you saw the gazelle

You saw it hides in the chests

أَو قُلتَ ريقَتُها المُدا

مُ فَلَم تَذُق مِنها الثُغورا

Or if I said their saliva is sweet

It did not taste the wounds

فَإِذا سَأَلتَ عَنِ الهَوى

فَاِسأَل بِهِ مِنهُم خَبيرا

So if you asked about love

Ask the experts about it

وَمُؤَيَّدِ الفَتَكاتِ لَو

جُمِعَ المِلاحُ غَدا أَميرا

And the supporter of murders

If gathered, salt would be a prince

وَكَأَنَّما هُوَ جَنَّةٌ

حَمَلَت مِنَ النارِ السَعيرا

As if it is a garden

That carried from the hellfire burning brands

نَجمٌ يُوَزِّعُها شُمو

ساً ثُمَّ يَسقيها بُدورا

A star that distributes to it suns

Then waters it with pearls

لي فيكَ مَسأَلَتانِ وَه

مي ظَلَّ دونَهُما قَصيرا

I have two questions about you

And I remained short of them

جَمرٌ بِخَدِّكَ كَيفَ يَب

قى ذا العِذارُ بِهِ نَضيرا

A coal on your cheek, how can

That reproach remain unique to it

بَرَدٌ بِثَغرِكَ كَيفَ أَر

شُفُهُ فَيورِثُني سَعيرا

Coolness on your lips, how can I be

Satisfied with it and inherit burning