صيدَت ضَراغِمُ حاجِرٍ بِمَحاجِرِ

وَسَطَت ذَواتُ أَساوِرٍ بِقَساوِرِ

The lightning captured rocks with rocks

And the bracelets contrasted with fetters

وَتَسَنَّحَت يَومَ الغُوَيرِ لَنا مَهاً

تُهدي الغَرامَ لِمُنجِدٍ وَلِغائِرِ

And on the day of encounter it granted us a reprieve

That conveys passion to one seeking help and to one hiding

يَسفِرنَ عَن صُوَرِ الدُّمى أَعشَت بِبَه

جاتِ الشُموسِ ضُحىً لِحاظَ الناظِرِ

They travel from the forms of statues, lodged at night

The dawns of suns, at the observer's glance

مُتَهادِياتِ الخَطوِ يَكسونَ البَرا

طيباً بِسَحبِ مَعاجِرٍ وَضَفائِرِ

With swaying gaits they clothe the land

With perfume in the trains of their garments and tresses

هُنَّ القَواتِلُ وَالفَواتِنُ لِلوَرى

بِلَواحِظٍ مِثلِ السُيوفِ فَواتِرِ

They are the killers and beauties of the land

With glances like swords, penetrating

مِن كُلِّ جائِلَةِ الوِشاحِ تَهُزُّ غُص

نَ البانِ في أَعلى الكَثيبِ المائِرِ

From every waving scarf shakes breasts

Of acacia above the towering dune

رَيّا الرَوادِفِ ذاتُ خَصرٍ ناحِلٍ

واهٍ كَصَبري عَنهُ ظامٍ ضامِرِ

Swift smooth-bodied riders with slender waists

Withered like my patience from enduring thirst

أَجفانُها مَرضى وَما لأَسيرِها

فادٍ وَلا لِقَتيلِها مِن ثائِرِ

Their eyelids are sick and their prisoner

Has no redeemer, nor their slain any avenger

باتَت مُقَبِّلُها يَخالُ رُضابَها

خَمراً مُعَتِّقَةً بِحانَةِ تاجِرِ

She spent the night, her kisser enjoying

Wine matured in a tavern keeper's bottle

وَغَريرَةٍ في سَلبِ حَبِّ قُلوبِنا

مَهَرَت فَواعَجَباً لِغِرٍّ ماهِرِ

And a writhing grace in robbing our hearts' love

She excelled in cunning, so wondrous her guile

أَفدي الَّتي لَولا هَواها لَم أَبِت

أَرعى النُجومَ بِطَرفِ ساهٍ ساهِرِ

I ransom her who, but for my passion for her

I would not stay up herding stars with waking eye

وَأَقولُ يا لَيلي الطَّويلَ ظَلَمتَني

لَم يَظلِموا لَمّا دَعَوكَ بِكافِرِ

And I say "O lengthy night you have wronged me"

They did not wrong when they called you infidel

فَأَجابَني بِلِسانِ حالٍ قائِلٍ

لَيلٌ بَهيمٌ ما لَهُ مِن آخِرِ

So it answered me in the tongue of circumstance saying

"A brutish night that has no end"

يا صاحِ ما الدُنيا سِوى سُكرِ الصِّبى

إِذ لَستُ أَبرَحُ مِنهُ بَينَ دَساكِرِ

Oh companion, what is the world but the rapture of youth

When I do not stop roving amongst its meadows

وَزَمانُهُ طَلقُ المُحَيّا ضاحِكٌ

عَن ناجِذَي عَيشٍ هَنيءٍ ناضِرِ

And its time is free and laughing

From the jaws of a pleasant, abundant life

أَشكو وَأَشكُرُ طَيفَها وَصُدودَها

عَنهُ فَواعَجَباً لِشاكٍ شاكِرِ

I complain and thank the phantom of her and her elusion

For wonders from a thankful complainer