خَضَعتُ وَأَمرُكَ الأَمرُ المُطاعُ

وَذاعَ السِرُّ وَاِنكَشَفَ القِناعُ

I submit, your command is the command to be obeyed,

The secret has spread, and the mask has been unveiled.

وَهَل يَخفى لِذي وَجدٍ حَديثٌ

أَتَخفى النارُ يَحمِلُها اليَفاعُ

Can the words of one in love remain hidden?

Can fire be concealed by the kindler?

أَشاعوا أَنَّني عَبدٌ لِموسى

نَعَم صَدَقوا عَلَيَّ بِما أَشاعوا

They spread that I'm a slave to Moses,

Yes, they spoke true about me.

وَقَد سَكَتَ الوُشاةُ اليَومَ عَنّي

أَقَرَّ الخَصمُ فاِرتَفَعَ النِزاعُ

Today, the slanderers are silent about me,

The adversary conceded, so the conflict ceased.

عَبَدتُ هَواكَ فَاِستَهوى عَفافي

كَأَنَّ الوُدَّ وَدٌّ أَو سُواعُ

I served your love, so my chastity was tempted,

As if passion is a lover, or clouds promising rain.

بَعَثتُ وَسيلَةً لَكَ مِن وِدادي

فَصافَحَ وَفدَها مِنكَ الضَياعُ

I sent a message of my devotion to you,

But its envoys were lost in your wilderness.

هَلَكتُ بِما رَجَوتُ بِهِ خَلاصي

وَقَد يُردي سَفينَتَهُ الشِراعُ

I'm ruined by what I hoped would save me,

The sail can capsize the sailor's ship.

نَفى سَهَري الخَيالَ فَهَل رُقادٌ

يُعارُ لِوَصلِ طَيفِكَ أَو يُباعُ

My fantasies denied me sleep—can slumber

Be lent to meet your phantom, or sold?

لَقَد أَربى هَواكَ عَلى عَذابي

كَما أَربَت عَلى الأَدَبِ الطِباعُ

Your love has nurtured my torment,

As nature nurtures dispositions.

أَخافُ عَلَيكَ أَن أَشكوكَ بَثّي

مُشافَهَةً فَيُخجِلَكَ السَماعُ

I fear complaining of my sorrows to you

Lest hearing them shame you.

وَإِن عَبَّرتُ عَن شَوقي بِكُتبٍ

تَلَهَّبَ في أَنامِلِيَ اليَراعُ

If I express my longing in writing,

The scrolls will ignite in my fingers.