لَقَد كادَ ما أُخفي مِنَ الوَجدِ وَالهَوى

يَكونُ جَوىً بَينَ الجَوانِحِ أَو خَبلا

The passion and longing I concealed

Were on the verge of becoming evident between my ribs, or madness,

إِذا قالَ مَهلاً ذُو القَرابَةِ زادَني

وُلوعاً بِذكراها وَوَجداً بِها مَهلا

When my close kinsman said "wait",

He increased my agony with the mention of her, and longing for her, wait!

فَلا يَحسَبِ البيضُ الأَوانِسُ أَنَّ في

فُؤادي سِوى سُعدى لِغانِيَةٍ فَضلا

So let not the fair maidens think that in

My heart lies aught but my happiness with Su`da, the superior.

فَأُقسِمُ إِن كانَ الهَوى غَيرَ بالِغٍ

بِيَ القَتلَ مِن سُعدى لقَد جاوَزَ القَتلا

I swear, if passion has not reached its end

In perishing me by Su`da's hand, it has gone beyond perishing.

فيا صَاحِ خَبِّرني الَّذي أَنتَ صانِعٌ

بِقاتِلَتي ظُلماً وَما طَلَبَت ذَحلا

So inform me, O messenger, what you are doing

To my unjust killer, who sought no injustice,

سِوى أَنَّني في الحُبِّ بَيني وَبَينَها

شَدَدتُ عَلى أكظامِ سِرٍّ لَها قُفلا

Save that between her and I, in love

I shut fast the padlocks on a secret of hers.