هَل دَرى ظَبيُ الحِمى أَن قَد حَمى
قَلبَ صَبٍّ حَلَّهُ عَن مَكنَسِ
Does the doe of the sanctuary know that she has set ablaze
The heart of an ardent lover whom she has weaned from contentment?
فَهوَ في حَرٍّ وَخَفقٍ مِثلَما
لَعِبَت ريحُ الصَبا بِالقَبَسِ
So he is in heat and tumult like
The east wind playing with live coals.
يا بُدوراً أَطلَعَت يَومَ النَوى
غُرَراً تَسلُكُ بي نَهجَ الغَرَر
O you whose cheek dawned on the day of parting
Deceiving me, following the ways of deceit!
ما لِنَفسي وَحدَها ذَنبٌ سِوى
مِنكُمُ الحُسنُ وَمِن عَيني النَظَر
My soul alone is not at fault, except
For your beauty and my eyes which gazed.
أَجتَني اللَذّاتِ مَكلومَ الجَوى
وَاِلتِذاذي مِن حَبيبي بِالفِكَر
Delights have come to me, though my innermost being is wounded,
And my pleasuring in thoughts of my beloved.
وَإِذا أَشكو بِوَجدي بَسَما
كَالرُبى وَالعارِضِ المُنبَجِسِ
And when I complain of my torment, I smile
Like someone tearful or frowning from a headache.
إِذ يُقيمُ القَطرُ فيهِ مَأتَما
وَهيَ مِن بَهجَتِها في عُرُسِ
When my passion is confided to him whose glances
Make me fly, his eyelids leave of me
مَن إِذا أُملي عَلَيهِ حُرَقي
طارَحَتني مُقلَتاهُ الدَنَفا
A trace like the trail of ants on smooth rock.
And I thank him for what remains;
تَرَكَت أَجفانُهُ مِن رَمَقي
أَثَرَ النَملِ عَلى صُمِّ الصَفا
I do not upbraid him for what is ruined.
To me he is just though he wrongs,
وَأَنا أَشكُرُهُ فيما بَقي
لَستُ أَلحاهُ عَلى ما أَتلَفا
And his words though silent are my advocate.
I have no power over the matter after
فَهوَ عِندي عادِلٌ إِن ظَلَما
وَعَذولي نُطقُهُ كَالخَرَسِ
My breath has given place in my being to my breath.
He has overcome me, overcome me completely
لَيسَ لي في الأَمرِ حُكمٌ بَعدَما
حَلَّ مِن نَفسي مَحَلَّ النَفَسِ
With languor. I ransom him with my father from one who is unyielding and harsh!
We knew of no lips that glistened
غالِبٌ لي غالِبٌ بِالتُؤَدَه
بِأَبي أَفديهِ مِن جافٍ رَقيق
Until they were sweetened by his musky wine.
His glances imbibed their intoxication from them
ما عَلِمنا قَبلَ ثَغرٍ نَضَّدَه
أُقحُواناً عُصِرَت مِنهُ رَحيق
While my heart is drunk with what will not pass.
Delicate of the rope, honeyed of taste,
أَخَذَت عَيناهُ مِنها العَربَدَه
وَفُؤادي سُكرُهُ ما إِن يُفيق
Sorcerer of the vine, glorious in smiling,
His beauty follows the dawn smiling
فاحِمُ اللِمَّةِ مَعسولُ اللَمى
ساحِرُ الغُنجِ شَهِيُّ اللَعَسِ
Though he is aloof in his aloofness.
O questioner about my crime in his regard,
حُسنُهُ يَتلو الضُحى مُبتَسِماً
وَهوَ مِن إِعراضِهِ في عَبَسِ
I get punishment for the sin while he is the sinner.
The dawn sun has taken from his cheeks and freshness
أَيُّها السائِلُ عَن جُرمي لَدَيه
لي جَزاءُ الذَنبِ وَهوَ المُذنِبُ
A radiant light against which the sun has radiance.
My flowing tears, my longing for him, have gone,
أَخَذَت شَمسُ الضُحى مِن وَجنَتَيهِ
مَشرِقاً لِلشَمسِ فيهِ مَغرِبُ
While his cheek by my yearning is made to shine.
Whenever my eyelids glance at him
ذَهَّبَت دَمعِيَ أَشواقي إِلَيه
ولَهُ خَدٌّ بِلَحظي مُذهَبُ
My gaze plants roses in his cheek.
Would that I knew what thing has forbidden
يُنبِتُ الوَردَ بِغَرسي كُلَّما
لَحَظَتهُ مُقلَتي في الخُلَسِ
Those roses to the one who planted them!
My flowing tears have set in my breast a fire
لَيتَ شِعري أَيُّ شَيءٍ حَرّما
ذَلِكَ الوَردَ عَلى المُغتَرِسِ
That flames up in any manner it desires.
It is coolness and peace in his cheek,
أَنفَذَت دَمعِيَ نارٌ في ضِرام
تَلتَظي في كُلِّ حينٍ ما يَشا
While it is harm and burning in my inner being.
I fear him according to the rule of love--
هِيَ في خَدَّيهِ بَردٌ وَسَلام
وَهيَ ضُرٌّ وَحَريقٌ في الحَشا
A lion, a fawn, and I love him as a fawn.
When his landmarks appeared, and he in his haughtiness
أَتَّقي مِنهُ عَلى حُكمِ الغَرام
أَسَداً وَرداً وَأَهواهُ رَشا
Turned aside, I said to him, "You who have taken my heart by force,
Make union in place of the one-fifth!"
قُلتُ لَمّا أَن تَبَدّى مُعلَما
وَهوَ مِن أَلحاظِهِ في حَرَسِ
أَيُّها الآخِذُ قَلبي مَغنَما
اِجعَلِ الوَصلَ مَكانَ الخُمُسِ
