لَبِسنَ الفِرَندَ الخُسرُوانِيَّ دونَهُ

مَشاعِرَ مِن خَزِّ العِراقِ المُفَوَّفُ

He wore a Frangie coat over his Khusrawani,

With feelings of Iraqi silk, pleated.

فَكَيفَ بِمَحبوسٍ دَعاني وَدونَهُ

دُروبٌ وَأَبوابٌ وَقَصرٌ مُشَرَّفُ

So how could an imprisoned one invite me when between us

Are doors, gates, and a lofty palace?

وَصُهبٌ لِحاهُم راكِزونَ رِماحَهُم

لَهُم دَرَقٌ تَحتَ العَوالي مُصَفَّفُ

And horsemen stationed with poised spears,

Under banners upon the high fortresses arranged.

وَضارِيَةٌ ما مَرَّ إِلّا اِقتَسَمنَهُ

عَلَيهِنَّ خَوّاضٌ إِلى الطِنءِ مِخشَفُ

And a harlot none passed by except they divided her among them,

Over whom a pimp sneaks to the mud buildings.

يُبَلِّغُنا عَنها بِغَيرِ كَلامِها

إِلَينا مِنَ القَصرِ البَنانُ المُطَرَّفُ

The slice of melon from the palace informs us about her

Without words, the sliced tips protruding toward us.

دَعَوتَ الَّذي سَوّى السَمَواتِ أَيدُهُ

وَلَلَّهُ أَدنى مِن وَريدي وَأَلطَفُ

You called upon Him who created the heavens with His hands,

And who is closer to me than my jugular vein and more gentle.

لِيَشغَلَ عَنّي بَعلَها بِزَمانَةٍ

تُدَلِّهُهُ عَنّي وَعَنها فَنُسعَفُ

To distract her husband from me for a while

With something to divert him from me and from her and so we gain respite.

بِما في فُؤادَينا مِنَ الهَمِّ وَالهَوى

فَيَبرَءُ مُنهاضُ الفُؤادِ المُسَقَّفُ

From the love and passion in our hearts

So the heart's builder recovers from it - the roofed one.

فَأَرسَلَ في عَينَيهِ ماءً عَلاهُما

وَقَد عَلِموا أَنّي أَطَبُّ وَأَعرَفُ

He sent water into his eyes that was injurious to them,

And they knew I was more assiduous and more expert.

فَداوَيتُهُ عامَينِ وَهيَ قَريبَةٌ

أَراها وَتَدنو لي مِراراً فَأَرشُفُ

I treated him for two years while she was near,

I could see her, drawing near me time and again so I was elated.

سُلافَةَ جَفنٍ خالَطَتها تَريكَةٌ

عَلى شَفَتَيها وَالذَكِيُّ المُسَوَّفُ

A smooth eyelid mixed with kohl

Upon her lips, and the polished, elongated one.

فَيا لَيتَنا كُنّا بَعيرَينِ لا نَرِد

عَلى مَنهَلٍ إِلّا نُشَلُّ وَنُقذَفُ

Would that we were two camels that do not stop

At a watering hole except to be roped and driven away!

كِلانا بِهِ عَرٌّ يَخافُ قِرافُهُ

عَلى الناسِ مَطلِيُّ المَساعِرِ أَخشَفُ

We both have a penis that fears its erection

Against people - the burner of resting places is covered.

بِأَرضٍ خَلاءٍ وَحدَنا وَثِيابُنا

مِنَ الرَيطِ وَالديباجِ دِرعٌ وَمِلحَفُ

In an empty land, just the two of us, our clothes

Are of silk and brocade, a coat of mail and wrap.

وَلا زادَ إِلّا فُضلَتانِ سُلافَةٌ

وَأَبيَضُ مِن ماءِ الغَمامَةِ قَرقَفُ

And no provision except two slices of melon

And white bread from the water of the cloud's bag.

وَأَشلاءُ لَحمٍ مِن حُبارى يَصيدُها

إِذا نَحنُ شِئنا صاحِبٌ مُتَأَلَّفُ

And roasted meat from gazelles he hunts

When we desire, a familiar companion.