يا اِبنَ موسى ماذا يَقولُ الإِمامُ
في فَتاةٍ في القَلبِ مِنها أُوامُ
O son of Musa, what does the Imam say
About a girl who dwells in my heart night and day
بِتُّ مِن حُبِّها أُوَقَّرُ بِالكَأ
سِ وَيَهفو عَلى فُؤادي الهُيامُ
I pine for her love till my body's all skin and bone
And longing pants loud in my breast its mournful tone
وَيحَها كاعِباً تَدِلُّ بِجَهمٍ
كَعثَبِيٍّ كَأَنَّهُ حَمّامُ
Her glances at me are like arrows shot
From a Mongol's bow, as though leaden with shot
لَم يَكُن بَينَها وَبَينِيَ إِلاّ
كُتُبُ العاشِقينَ وَالأَحلامُ
No traffic was ever between us before
Except lovers' letters and dreams and no more
يا اِبنَ موسى اِسقِني وَدَع عَنكَ سَلمى
إِنَّ سَلمى حِمىً وَفيَّ اِحتِشامُ
O son of Musa, give me wine and leave Salma alone
For Salma is sacred; so let decorum be shown
رُبَّ كَأسٍ كَالسَلسَبيلِ تَعَلَّل
تُ بِها وَالأَنامُ عَنّي نِيامُ
Full many a cup like a torrent I've quaffed
And through them oblivion of grief I have saught
حُبِسَت لِلشُراةِ في بَيتِ رَأسٍ
عُتِّقَت عانِساً عَلَيها الخِتامُ
She pined in a mansion reserved for the vile
An unwilling prisoner all the while
نَفَحَت نَفحَةً فَهَزَّت نَديمي
بِنَسيمٍ وَاِنشَقَّ عَنها الزُكامُ
She breathed a soft breath which gave new life to me
And split my bosom of its malady
وَكَأَنَّ المَعلولَ مِنها إِذا را
حَ شَجٍ في لِسانِهِ بِرسامُ
It seemed when she came in sight of my love-rapt eye
As though in my mouth a parched bone split and cracked
صَدَمَتهُ الشَمولُ حَتّى بِعَينَي
هِ اِنكِسارٌ وَفي المَفاصِلِ خامُ
Her appearance overwhelmed me till both my eyes
Showed inward confusion, while my joints went lax
وَهوَ باقي الإِطرافِ حَيَّت بِهِ الكَأ
سُ وَماتَت أَوصالُهُ وَالكَلامُ
Then my limbs were enlivened by wine once again
But the speech of my members grew silent and strained
وَفَتىً يَشرَبُ المُدامَةَ بِالما
لِ ويَمشي يَرومُ ما لا يُرامُ
A hero who drinks liquor, spending his pelf,
May walk without shame, though not lord of himself
أَنفَدَت كَأسُهُ الدَنانيرَ حَتّى
ذَهَبَ العَينُ وَاِستَمَرَّ السُوامُ
His coin he so lavished on wine without end
That from loss upon loss did his wealth descend
تَرَكَتهُ الصَهباءُ يَرنو بِعَينٍ
نامَ إِنسانُها وَلَيسَت تَنامُ
The bright one forsook him, though still for her sake
His eyes were sleepless whenas she might awake
حَنَّ مِن شَربَةٍ تُعَلُّ بِأُخرى
وَبَكى حينَ سارَ فيهِ المُدامُ
He moaned o'er a cup, then one more would demand
Till wine had prevailed and got quite out of hand
كانَ لي صاحِباً فَأَودى بِهِ الدَه
هرُ وَفارَقتُهُ عَلَيهِ السَلامُ
I had a boon fellow the days swept away
And "Peace be upon him" is all I can say
كَجَزورِ الأَيسارِ لا كَبِدٌ في
ها لَباغٍ وَلا عَلَيها سَنامُ
Like horses well-bred, in their sinews no pain,
No brands on their flanks, and no halt in their gait
يا اِبنَ موسى فَقدُ الحَبيبِ عَلى العَي
نِ قَذاةٌ وَفي الفُؤادِ سَقامُ
O son of Musa, when a loved friend is lost
'Tis a smart in one's eye and a sickness at most
كَيفَ يَصفو لِيَ النَعيمُ وَحيداً
وَالأَخِلّاءُ في المَقابِرِ هامُ
How can life joyful for me ever be
When dear boon companions lie under the tree?
نَفِسَتهُم عَلَيَّ أُمُّ المَنايا
فَأَنامَتهُمُ بِعُنفٍ فَناموا
Upon them grim death swooped and clutched them away
And so in deep slumber they silently lay
لا يَغيضُ اِنسِجامُ عَيني علَيهِم
إِنَّما غايَةُ الحَزينِ السِجامُ
No gluing my eyes on them eases my grief
For mourning hearts solace alone is in brief
