قَدْ تَغنَى لَكُمْ أَغنُّ دَعَاهُ

مَن رَآهُ رَبُّ الغَزَالِ الرَّبِيبِ

The one whose love made the most eloquent sing

Was seen by the Lord of the darling gazelle

زيّنتّهُ جِراحَةٌ فيه وفي الخَ

دِّ تَوخَّتْ ثَاراتِها في القُلوبِ

His wounds adorned him, and pierced the most guarded of hearts

Seeking their vengeance in spirits and souls

وَجَرَى ذلكَ الغِناءُ على حُمْ

رَةٍ فِيهِ فَضَمَّختْهُ بِطيبِ

And so they sang of the wine-stained hue

That dyed him in sweetest perfume

حَبَّذا لَيْلَةٌ علَى النِّيلِ قَمْرا

ءُ تَعَرَّتْ مِن لونها الغِرّبيبِ

Blessed was the night by the Nile, silvery in hue

Baring its skin of hazes dimmed

أَحَذِرتُمْ مِنّي نَمِيمَةَ واشٍ

أَمْ خَشِيتُمْ مِنّي اطِّلاعَ رَقِيبِ

Do you fear the whispers of gossip about me

Or dread the watch of a lurking guard?

أَمْ نُعَاسِي حَتَّى يَنامَ المُعَنَّى

طَمَعاً أو تَطلُّعاً لِلذَّهِيبِ

Or would you rather I slept, and meaning itself slept

Yearning for glitter, or glitter itself slept?

أَدَبِيبٌ واللَّيلُ مِن طَرَبٍ ش

قَّ عَنِ الصُّبْحِ دَاجِياتِ الجُيُوبِ

The pleats of night, drunk with joy, slipped

From the grasp of dawn’s rousing hems

عُدَّةٌ قَدْ عَرَفْتُها أَنا بالتَّق

لِيدِ لا عَنْ عِلْمٍ وَلا تَجْرِيبِ

By rote I know remedies time-approved

Not by knowledge or test have they won me

قَدْ يُجيدُ الطَّبِيبُ مَعْرِفَةَ الدَّا

ءِ وَمَا حَلَّ قَطُّ جِسْمَ الطَّبِيبِ

A doctor may know of compounds and potions

But no medicine cures the doctor’s own frame