حُكْمُ العيونِ على القلوبِ يَجوزُ
وداؤُها من دائهنّ عَزيزُ
The eyes may judge the hearts - such judgment's fair;
Yet healing them is difficult, most rare.
كم نظرةٍ نالتْ بطَرْفٍ ذابلٍ
ما لا يَنال الذابلُ المهزوز
What glances, with a fading wink, have gained
Things that no faded, failing glance obtained!
فحَذارِ من مَلَقِ اللَّواحِظِ غِرَّةً
فالسحرُ بينَ جُفونها مكنوز
Beware the looks of sly, observing eyes,
For wizardry lies hidden 'neath their guise.
يا ليتَ شِعْري والأماني ضِلَّةٌ
والدهرُ يُدرِك صَرْفُه ويَجوز
Ah, would that I knew why vain hopes go astray!
Fate spins and weaves its web from day to day.
هل لي إلى زمنٍ تَصرَّم عهدُه
سببٌ فيرجعَ ما مضى فأَفوز
Might I regain the past, time now gone by,
And win the love that so enraptured I?
وأَزور من أَلِف البعادَ وحبُّه
بينَ الجوانحِ والحَشَا مركوز
The one I loved from afar comes to my mind -
In my heart's core his memory lies enshrined.
ظبيٌ تناسبَ في الملاحةِ شَخْصُه
فالوصفُ حتى يطول فيه وجيز
A graceful gazelle, in charm he has no peer,
So descriptions of him can but scratch the veneer.
والبدرُ والشمسُ المنيرة دُونه
في الحسنِ حين يُحرَّر التمييز
The radiant sun and moon do not compare;
When true discernment's made, this will be bare.
لولا تَثنِّى خصره في رِدْفه
ما خِلتُ إلا أنه مغروز
Except for the slight swell curve of his hips,
I could not say if he was girl or boy.
تجفو غِلالتُه عليه لطَافًة
فبجسمِه من طَرْزِها تَطْريز
His delicate form floats graceful as a wisp;
His body's fabric interwoven, crisp.
من لي بدهرٍ كان لي بوصاله
سَمْحا ووعدى عنده منجوز
If only fate would let us reunite;
Fulfillment was pledged that now seems trite.
والعيشُ مخضَرُّ الجَنابِ أَنيقه
ولأَوْجُهِ اللذاتِ فيه بُروز
Life once was verdant, pleasures would arise,
Our faces glowing under azure skies.
والروضُ في حُلَل النبات كأنما
فُرِشتْ عليه دَيابِجٌ وخُزوز
The meadows were like carpets, green and flush,
Bestrewn with patterns, red and gold and plush.
والماء يبدو في الخليجِ كأنه
إيْمٌ لسرعِة سيره محفوز
The bay's water raced as if impelled
To run its course; flow by some force propelled.
والزهرُ يُوهم ناظِريه كأنما
ظَهرتْ به فوقَ الرياشِ كنوز
The flowers trick the viewer's sight because
Treasure appeared on earth in brightest shows.
فأَقاحُه وَرِقٌ ومَنْثور الندى
دُرٌّ ونَوْرُ بَهارِه إبريز
Their leaves and petals scattered in the rains
Are pearls and gems; bounty sunlight claims.
والروضُ فيه تغازلٌ وتَمايلٌ
وتشاغُل وتراسُل ولغوز
The garden witnessed lovers ply their arts;
Cooing and sighing, sending secret darts.
للطيرِ فيها بالغصونِ تَصارُخٌ
وتَصايُحٌ وتفَاصحٌ ورموز
The birds called with varying tone and tune -
Cackles, shrieks, hoots, communicating rune.
وكأنما القُمْرِيُّ يُنشِد مَصْرَعا
من كل بيتٍ والحَمامُ يُجيز
The songbirds chorused an ode in parts,
The turtledoves cooed their approval from their hearts.
وكأنما الدولابُ يَرْمِزُ كلما
غَنَّت وأصواتُ الضفادِع شِيز
As if to say, whenever frogs cried out,
The water-wheel creaked secrets meant for lout.
يا رُبَّ غانيةٍ أَضرَّ بقلبها
أنِّى بلفظِة مُعْدِمٍ مَنْبوز
"Oh trouble not a songstress;" I implored
One who would careless break her heart; ignored,
فأَجبتُها ما عازَني نيلُ الغِنى
لكنَّ مَطْلبَه الحميدَ يَعُوز
I gained no wealth for that was not my aim;
But missed a purpose noble, all the same!
إني أَعاف الذلَّ فيما أبتِغى
فلِهمَّتِى عن جانبيهِ نُشوز
I disdained baseness in my search for prize -
My spirit now took to the lofty skies!
ما خاب من هَضَم التفضُّلُ مالَه
كَرما ووافرُ عرضِه محروز
No shame will come to one who benefits
From largesse, honor always benefits.
