عَن يَميني وَعَن يَساري وَقُدّا

مي وَخَلفي الهَوى فَكَيفَ أَفِرُّ

On my right and on my left, love kindled its fires,

Behind me and before me, passion - how can I escape?

أَنا إِن زُلتُ عَن مَقامي لِأَمرٍ

رابَني تَحتَ أَخمَصي ما يَضُرُّ

If I slip from my steadfastness because of a thing

That chanced upon me beneath my heel, what harm in that?

كَمُزيلٍ رِجلَيهِ عَن بَلَلِ القَط

رِ وَما حَولَهُ مِنَ الأَرضِ بَحرُ

Like one who lifts his feet from the mud of the plain

Though around him spreads the land, a sea without shore.

بَرَقَت لي حَتّى إِذا قُلتُ جادَت

أَقلَعَت عَن جَهامَةٍ لا تَدُرُّ

Lightning flashed for me until when I said "Be generous!"

It turned away from a gloom that knows no morning.

أَيُّها البارِقُ الَّذي لَيسَ يُجدي

قَد عَرَفناكَ فَاِلتَمِس مَن تَغُرُّ

O lightning that flashes and avails naught,

We know you! Seek one you can beguile!