راقت لعينيك يوم البين دمياط

وفي الفواد من الأشواق أفراطُ

Your eyes delighted on the day we parted

And in my heart excessive longing started

حللتها بعد ما شط المزار بنا

وحادث الدهر بالأحرار شطاط

I reached it after the pilgrimage was over

And time brought downfall to the free and noble

ليس الزمان بمحمودٍ خلائقه

إذا استوى فيه ذو جهل وبقراط

The era is not commendable in its morals

When ignorant and wise are rendered equal

أبيت أرعى نسيمات الشام عسى

يزورني من صبا لبنان قيراط

I refused to enjoy the breeze of Damascus

Hoping a bit of the Lebanese youth would visit me

واسأل النجم في الظلماء مرتقباً

عن شادنٍ ما عرا حبيه أسقاط

And I ask the stars in the darkness waiting

About a lover whose love ties I have severed

ساجي اللواحظ ورديُّ الخدود له

خالٌ من الزنج فوق الثغر مرباط

To him belongs my salutation of love whenever

The parchment sheets are filled by the writer

لولاه ما راعني بينٌ ولا سهرت

عين ولا جددت للوجد امراط

Without him I wouldn't have suffered sleeplessness

Nor would an eye have shed tears nor the anguished, new laments

لولا الفراق لما أودى الحشا زمن

له من الغدر حالات وأنماط

Had there been no separation, time wouldn't have

Inflicted on him various states and guises of betrayal

أفديه من قمرٍ يعلو على غصنٍ

ما هاج رونقه الوضاح اسماط

I ransom him with a moon rising above a branch

Whose brilliant splendor isn't marred by blemishes

فكيف أسلو وهذا الريم في كبدي

وفي الحشاشة رتّاع وحطاط

So how can I feel at ease when in my liver lies

This well-aimed arrow and in my innermost, havoc and turmoil

عليه مني سلام الحب ما تليت

آي ومازئح القرطاس خطاطُ

Upon him from me, greetings of love whenever

The lines of manuscript are penned by the writer