صَحا تِربي وَما قَلبي بِصاحِ

وَأَصبَحَ عانِداً حَبلَ النِصاحِ

My companion rebukes me, though my heart is not to blame,

And has become stubborn against good counsel.

وَكُنتُ مِنَ المِزاجِ أَكادُ أَسلو

فَقَد لاقَيتُ قاطِعَةَ المِزاحِ

I used to be easygoing, almost frivolous,

But met one who ruined my fun.

أَبيتُ مُرَوَّعاً وَأَظَلُّ صَبّاً

كَأَنَّ القَلبَ مِنّي ذو جَناحِ

I toss sleepless, remaining wakeful through the night,

As if my heart wants to fly off from me.

وَمَن يَكُ ذاقَ مِن عِشقي قَراحاً

فَإِنّي قَد شَرِبتُ مِنَ القَراحِ

And whoever tastes a bit of my love's agony,

Know that I have drunk deep of anguish.

وَلَستُ بِذاكِرٍ عَبّادَ إِلّا

تَبادَرَتِ المَدامِعُ بِاِنسِفاحِ

When I remember the devout, tears pour forth unbidden,

And I cannot forget that dawn when she wept and said:

وَلا أَنسى غَداةَ بَكَت وَقالَت

أَتَغدو أَم تَروحُ مِنَ الرَواحِ

"Do you wake at dawn or go roaming at first light?"

I said: "Roaming comes closer to a lover than dawn."

فَقُلتُ لَها الرَواحُ بِذاكِ أَحجى

وَأَقرَبُ بِالمُحِبِّ مِنَ الصَباحِ

Sa'eed blames you for his affection,

But there is no fault in loving Abda.

يَلومُكَ في مَوَدَّتِها سَعيدٌ

وَما في حُبِّ عَبدَةَ مِن جُناحِ

You were fooled that Sa'eed's blame, my dear,

Comes from stinginess - no, I am freer than the breeze.

فَغَرَّكَ أَنَّ لَومَكَ يا سَعيدٌ

بِتَمنَعَ بَل أَحَرُّ مِنَ النَزاحِ

Let the lover's blame subside when passion envelops him,

For women's love has spun such confusion.

فَدَع لَومَ المُحِبِّ إِذا تَهادى

بِهِ حُبُّ النِساءِ لَحاكَ لاحِ

You cannot dissuade love with blame,

Nor calm the infatuated with rebuke.

فَإِنَّكَ لا تَرُدُّ هَوىً بِلَومٍ

وَلا طَرَبَ المُتَيَّمِ بِاِمِّصاحِ

When we beg a kiss from her, she teases,

Coyly feigning reluctance and jest.

تُعَلِّلُ حينَ نَسأَلُها نَوالاً

حِراداً بِالتَدَلُّلِ وَالمِزاحِ

Her smile is honey flowing pure,

With the tang of ginger and scent of basil.

كَأَنَّ بِريقِها عَسَلاً جَنِيّاً

وَطَعمَ الزَنجَبيلِ وَريحَ راحِ

She was pampered in luxury, so the envious glances

Of the blue-eyed could not touch her.

تَراخَت في النَعيمِ فَلَم تَنَلها

حَواسِدُ أَعيُنِ الزُرقِ القِباحِ

Yes, I am devoted to her; my life is her gift,

Love's offering, on the breath of the winds.

نَعَم عُلِّقتُها فَلَها حَياتي

هَدايا الحُبِّ في نَفَسِ الرِياحِ

And if it destroys me, may my ruin last,

So her wellbeing and virtue remain intact.

وَإِن أَهلِك فَدامَ عَلَيَّ هُلكي

لَها طولُ السَلامَةِ وَالصَلاحِ

You cast off my love and broke my rope,

But I did not care to discard your affection.

طَرَحتِ مَوَدَّتي وَصَرَمتِ حَبلي

وَلَم أَهمِم لِوُدِّكِ بِاِطِّراحِ

My generosity in union is for one impassioned

By your memory, in the evening and at dawn.

فَجودي بِالوِصالِ لِمُستَهامٍ

بِذِكرِكِ في المَساءِ وَفي الصَباحِ

He is sick with love for you, though legions

Of love's death have marched against him.

يَهيمُ بِكُم وَقَد دَلَفَت إِلَيهِ

جُيوشُ الحُبِّ بِالمَوتِ الصُراحِ

Heal me, doctor, and gently cure my illness -

Today is your birthday, congratulations!

طَبيبي داوِني وَتَأَنَّ سُقمي

لَكَ اليَومَ التِلادُ عَلى النَجاحِ

When you ask after me, it kindles a heart

That does not multiply in comfort.

إِذا سَلَّيتَني أَوهَجتَ مِنها

فُؤاداً لا يُساعِفُ بِاِرتِياحِ

How can one sick, melancholy, starving,

Be cured by loaves that cannot satisfy?

وَكَيفَ شِفاءُ مُختَبِلٍ حَزينٍ

بِشَبعى الحَجلِ جائِعَةِ الوِشاحِ