حُثَّ الكُؤوسَ وَلا تُطِع مَن لاما
فَالمُزنُ قَد سَقَتِ الرِياضَ رِهاما
Pass the cups around, and obey no one who blames.
The rainclouds have watered the gardens with gentle showers.
رَقَّ الغَمامُ لِما بِها إِذ أَمحَلَت
فَغَدا يُريقُ لَها الدُموعَ سِجاما
The clouds grew tender toward them when drought had left them barren,
and came to pour down tears upon them in streams.
وَالبَرقُ سَيفٌ وَالسَحابُ كَتائِبٌ
تُبدي لِوَقعِ غِرارِهِ إِحجاما
Lightning is a sword, and the clouds are battalions
that recoil before the stroke of its keen edge.
وَالدَوحُ مَيّادُ الغُصونِ كَأَنَّما
شَرِبَ النَباتُ مِنَ الغَمامِ مُداما
The great trees sway their branches, as though
the plants had drunk a vintage from the clouds.
وَالزَهرُ يَرنو عَن نَواظِرَ سَدَّدَت
لَحَظاتُهُنَّ إِلى الشُجونِ سِهاما
The blossoms gaze from eyes whose glances
are arrows aimed straight at tangled sorrows.
هُنَّ الكَواكِبُ غَيرَ أَن لَم تَستَطِع
شَمسُ النَهارِ لِضَوئِها إِبهاما
They are stars—except that
the daylight sun cannot obscure their brilliance.
تُثني عَلى كَرَمِ الوَلِيِّ بِنَفحَةٍ
عَن مِسكِ دارينٍ تَفُضُّ خِتاما
They praise the generosity of the rain that follows rain with a fragrant breath
that breaks the seals upon the musk of Darin.
فَكَأَنَّما غَضَّ الحَياءُ جُفونَها
إِذ لا تَقومُ بِشُكرِها إِنعاما
It is as though modesty has lowered their eyelids,
for they cannot duly thank its beneficence.
خَيرَيَّها يُخفي شَميمَ نَسيمِهِ
لِنَهارِهِ وَيُبيحُهُ الإِظلاما
A gillyflower hides the perfume of its breeze
from daylight, while darkness releases it.
فَكَأَنَّما ظَنَّ الدُجُنَّةَ نَفحَةً
فَبَدا يُعارِضُ عَرفَها البَسّاما
As though it took the gloom for a fragrant breath,
it came forth smiling, to rival its sweet scent.
أَو كَالكَعابِ تَبَرَّجَت لِخَليلِها
في اللَيلِ وَاِرتَقَبَت لَهُ الإِلماما
Or like a young maiden, adorned and unveiled for her lover
at night, awaiting his visit.
فَإِذا رَأَت وَجهَ الصَباحِ تَسَتَّرَت
خَوفاً وَصَيَّرَتِ الجُفونَ كَماما
But when she sees the face of morning, she veils herself
in fear, making her eyelids into coverings.
تُهدي الصَبا مِنها أَريجاً مِثلَما
يُهدي المُحِبُّ إِلى الحَبيبِ سَلاما
The east wind carries fragrance from her, just as
a lover sends a greeting to the beloved.
فَكَأَنَّها نَفَسُ الحَبيبِ تَضَوُّعاً
وَكَأَنَّها نَفسُ المُحِبِّ سَقاما
Thus she is the beloved’s breath, exhaling perfume,
and the lover’s breath—sickness itself.
