بَرَحتُ حَتّى بَرَّحَ الوَجدُ بي

وا حَرَبا مِن ثَغرِكَ الأَشنَبِ

I languished until longing itself racked me;

ah, what warfare comes from your bright-toothed frontier!

بِالشارِبِ المُخضَرِّ صِل مُذنِفاً

سوى كَؤسِ الدَمعِ لَم يَشرَبِ

By your newly darkening moustache, grant union to a sinner

who has drunk nothing but cups of tears.

ما لي سِوى مُهجَةَ قَلبي الَّتي

أَحيا بِها خُذها وَلا تَغضَبِ

I have nothing but my heart’s lifeblood,

by which I live—take it, and do not be angry.

مَذاهِبُ العُشّاقِ حَسبي بَلى

أَحسَنُ ما كانَ بِها مَذهَبي

The creeds of lovers suffice me—yes,

and the finest among them has been my creed.

لا تَعذِلوني في اِكتِئابي بِهِ

صَبابَتي فيهِ مِنَ المَكتَبِ

Do not reproach me for my melancholy over him;

my passion for him began in the schoolroom.