زارَ الخَيالُ وَصَدَّ صاحِبُهُ

وَالحُبُّ لا تُقضى عَجائِبُهُ

Imagination came visiting, but its companion turned away,

And love's wonders cannot be fulfilled.

يا شَرُّ قَد أَنكَرتِني فَلَكَم

لَيلٍ رَأَتكِ مَعي كَواكِبُهُ

Oh, evil one, you denied me, so how many

Nights did its stars see you with me?

شابَت نَواصيهِ وَعَذَّبَني

مِن طولِ أَيّامي أُراقِبُهُ

His temples have grayed, and he tormented me

By the length of my days watching him.

حَتّى إِذا الإِمساءُ أَورَدَهُ

حَوضَ الغُروبُ فَعَبَّ شارِبُهُ

Until, when nightfall

Led him to the sunset’s drinking-place to drink his fill.

هامَ الهَوى بِمُتَيَّمٍ قَلِقٍ

في الصَبرِ قَد سُدَّت مَذاهِبُهُ

Love wandered anxiously, suffering

As all its paths to patience were blocked.

باتَت تُغَلغِلُ بَينَ ثَنيِ دُجى

حَتّى أَتَتكَ بِهِ رَكائِبُهُ

It tossed and turned in the folds of darkness’ bosom

Until its carriers brought it to you.

بِأَبي حَبيبٌ كُنتُ أَعهُدُهُ

لي واصِلاً فَاِزوَرَّ جانِبُهُ

By my dear one, whom I knew

As a loyal friend, but he shunned my side!

عَبِقُ الكَلامِ بِمِسكَةٍ نَفَحَت

مَن فيهِ تُرضي مَن يُعاتِبُهُ

The fragrance of speech blew from a perfumed breath,

Which would please whoever reproaches him.

نَبَّهتُهُ وَالحَيُّ قَد رَقَدوا

مُستَبطِناً عَضباً مَضارِبُهُ

I woke him while the living were asleep,

Harboring anger, its sparks strike.

فَكَأَنَّني رَوَّعتُ ظَبيَ نَقاً

في عَينِهِ سِنَةٌ تُغالِبُهُ

So it was as if I had startled a watchful gazelle,

In his eye a look that overcomes him.