نسخْتُ بِحَبّي آية العِشْقِ من قبلي

فأهْلُ الهوى جُندي وحكمي على الكُلّ

I copied with my love the verse of passion before me

So the people of desire are my soldiers and my rule is over all

وكلُّ فَتىً يهوى فإنّي إمَامُهُ

وإني بَريءٌ من فَتىً سامعِ العَذْلِ

And every youth who loves, I am his leader

And I am innocent of a youth who listens to rebuke

ولي في الهوى عِلْمٌ تَجِلّ صفاتُهُ

ومن لم يُفَقّهه الهوى فهْو في جهل

And I have knowledge in love, its attributes are magnificent

And whoever love has not made insightful, he is in ignorance

ومن لم يكنْ في عِزّةِ الحبِّ تائهاً

بِحُبّ الذي يَهوى فَبَشّرْهُ بالذّل

And whoever was not lost in the dignity of love

With the love of whom he loves, give him tidings of humiliation

إذا جادَ أقوامٌ بمالٍ رأيْتَهُمْ

يَجودونَ بالأرواحِ مِنْهُمْ بِلا بُخل

When people were generous with money, you saw them

Being generous with their souls, without any stinginess

وإن أودِعوا سِراً رأيتَ صُدورهم

قُبوراً لأسرارٍ تُنَزّهُ عن نَقلِ

And if they were entrusted with a secret, you saw their chests

As graves for secrets, protected from transfer

وإن هُدّدوا بالهَجْرِ ماتوا مَخافَةً

وإن أوعِدوا بالقَتْلِ حنّوا إلى القتل

And if they were threatened with separation, they died fearing

And if they were promised murder, they leaned towards murder

لَعَمري هُمُ العُشّاقُ عندي حقيقةً

على الجِدّ والباقون منهم على الهَزْل

By my life, they are the true lovers in my view

Serious in earnest and lasting among them in jest