تَحَمَّلَ الظاعِنونَ فَاِدَّلَجوا

وَالقَلبُ مِنّي الغَداةَ مُختَلِجُ

The slanderers endured, so they slithered,

and my heart in the morning was trembling,

بانوا بِخَودٍ كَأَنَّ رُؤيَتَها

بَدرٌ بَدا وَالظَلامُ مُرتَهِجُ

they appeared with a cheek, as if seeing it

was a full moon rising while the darkness was aflame,

غَرّاءُ رَيّا العِظامِ آنِسَةٌ

مَكسورَةُ العَينِ زانَها دَعَجُ

a coquette, the bones were delighted by her,

the one with languishing eyes, her beauty enthralled me,

يا وَيحَ نَفسي أَما لَنا أَبَداً

مِن حُبِّها سَلوَةٌ وَلا فَرَجُ

oh, woe to my soul, will we never have,

solace from her love, nor relief?

إِن يَكُ أَمسى الغَيورُ حَصَّنَها

وَغَيَّرَتها الشُهورُ وَالحِجَجُ

If the jealous one fortified her last night,

and the months and pilgrimages changed her,

وَلَو تَرانا مَعَ الجِلاءِ إِذاً

بَدا لِعَينَيكَ مَنظَرٌ بَهِجُ

and if you could see us with the revealing one, then

a delightful sight would appear before your eyes,

يا حُسنَها إِذ تَقولُ مازِحَةً

وَنَحنُ فَوقَ السَريرِ نَعتَفِجُ

oh, her beauty when she jokes,

while we above the bed writhe,

لَقَد حَرِجنا وَهيَ مُعانِقَتي

تَلثَمُني وَالصَباحُ مُنبَلِجُ

we were embarrassed while she embraced me,

kissed me, and the morning was shining,

فَقُلتُ يا مُنيَتي وَيا سَكَني

ما في عِناقٍ وَقُبلَةٍ حَرَجُ

so I said, “oh, my demise and my peace,

there is no shame in an embrace or kiss.”