أَحيى بِمَوعِدِهِ قَتيلَ وُعودِهِ
رَشَأٌ يَشوبُ وِصالُهُ بِصُدودِهِ
He brought the slain back to life with his promise
A young man whose union is marred by his aloofness
قَمَرٌ يَفوقُ البَدرَ في أَوصافِهِ
وَعَلى الغَزالِ بِمُقلَتَيهِ وَجيدِهِ
A moon that outshines the full moon in his qualities
And surpasses the gazelle in his glances and cheeks
يا لَيتَهُ يَعِدُ المَلالَ فَإِنَّهُ
ما زالَ ذا لَهَجِ بِخُلَّفِ وُعودِهِ
If only he would promise to banish tedium, for he
Remains eloquent in breaking his vows
يَفتَرُّ عَن عَذبِ الرِضا بِحَياتِنا
في وَردِهِ المَوتُ دونَ وُرودِهِ
He distracts from the sweetness of consent with our lives
In his roses, death without his presence
بَرَدٌ يُذيبُ وَلا يَذوبُ وَرُبَّما
أَذكى زَفيرَ الوَجدِ شَفُّ بُرودِهِ
An icy wind that melts but does not itself melt, and sometimes
Rekindles the sigh of ardour with its coolness
لَم أَنسَهُ إِذ جاءَ يَسحَبُ ذَيلَهُ
وَاللَيلُ يَرفُلُ في فُضولِ بُرودِهِ
I did not forget him when he came pulling his train
As the night paraded in the excess of its chill
وَكَذاكَ لَم تَنَمِ النُجومُ مَخافَةً
مِن أَن يُعاني الصُبحَ فَكُّ قُيودِهِ
Likewise, the stars did not sleep for fear
That dawn would free them from their fetters
بِمُدامَةٍ صَفراءَ يَحمِلُ شَمسَها
بَدرٌ يَغارُ البَدرُ عِندَ سُعودِهِ
With a yellow wine whose sun
Is a full moon that envies its rising
كَأسٌ كَأَنَّ مُدامَها مِن ريقِهِ
كَرماً وَيَلثُمُنا شَفيقُ خُدودِهِ
A cup whose wine seems to be from his saliva
A generosity that kisses us on his cheeks
حَتّى تَحَكَّمَ في النُجومِ نُعاسُها
وَالتَذَّ كُلُّ مُسَهَّدٍ بِهُجودِهِ
Until drowsiness overpowered the stars
And each pillow was busy with its occupant
وَرَأى الصَباحَ تَخَلُّصاً مِن أَسرِهِ
وَأَتى يَكُرُّ عَلى الدُجى بِعَمودِهِ
And morning saw itself freed from captivity
And came winding over the darkness with its pillars
قَمَرٌ أَطاعَ الحُسنَ مِنهُ وَجهُهُ
حَتّى كَأَنَّ الحُسنَ بَعضُ جُنودِهِ
A moon that obeyed the beauty of his face
As if beauty were part of his armies
أَنا في الغَرامِ شَهيدُهُ ما ضَرَّهُ
لَو أَنَّ جَنَّة وَصلِهِ لِشَهيدِهِ
In love I am its martyr, nothing harmed him
If only its paradise were for its martyr
يا يوسُفَ العَصرِ الَّذي أَنا في الهَوى
يَعقوبُهُ بَثّي إِلى داوُدِهِ
O Joseph of the age, I who am madly in love
Am Jacob, conveying my sorrows to his David
