سَقَى اللهُ الدَّوَافِعَ مِن حَفِيرٍ

وَمَا يُغنِينَ مِنكَ وَإِن سُقِينَا

God waters the motives from a well,

And what use are you to me, even if we're watered?

أَتَستَسقِى وَأَنتَ بِبَطنٍ قَوٍّ

أَروبَةَ أَرضِ قَومٍ آخَرِينَا

Do you seek water while your belly is full

Of the spaciousness of another people's land?

قَضَينا اليَومَ حاجاتٍ أَلمَّت

فَمَن لِغَدٍ وحاجاتٍ بَقِينَا

We fulfilled today desires that pained,

So who remains for tomorrow and the desires left?

وَحاجاتُ النُّفُوسِ تَكُونُ دَاءً

وَيَبرَأُ داؤُهُنَّ إِذا قُضِينَا

The soul's desires become an illness

Whose illness is cured when fulfilled.

فَنَقضِى حاجةً وَتُلِمُّ أُخرَى

وَلَولا كَرُّهُنَّ لقَد فَنِينَا

So we fulfill one desire and another hurts,

And were it not for their abhorrence we would perish.

أَما وَاللهِ ثُمَّ اللهِ حَقّا

يَمِيناً ثُمَّ أُتبِعُهَا يَمِينَا

By Allah, by Allah truly,

A right, then followed by a right.

لَقَد نَزَلَت أُمَيمَةُ مِن فُؤَادِى

تِلاعاً ما أُبِحنَ وَما رُعِينَا

Umayma has certainly descended from my heart

Roaming, not grazing or restrained.

وَلَكِنَّ الخَلِيلَ إِذا جَفانا

وَآثَرَ بالمَوَدَّةِ آخَرِينَا

But the friend, if he spurns us

And prefers others with affection.

صَدَدتُ تَكَرُّماً عَنهُ بِنَفسِى

وَإِن كانَ الفُؤَادُ بِهِ ضَنِينَا

I nobly prevent myself from him,

Though my heart is affectionate to him.

أظَلُّ وَما أَبُثُّ النَّاسَ بَثِّى

وَلا يَخفَى الَّذِى بِى مُستَكِينَا

I remain shaded and do not spread my woes,

Nor is my complaint concealed.

أَذُودُ النَّفسَ عَن لَيلَى وَإِنِّى

لَتَعصِينِى شَوَاجِرُ قَد صَدِينَا

I hold myself back from Layla though

My burning passions disobey me.

يَرَينَ مَشَارِباً وَيُذَدنَ عَنها

ويُكثِرنَ الصُّدُورَ وما رَوِينَا

It sees watering places and is held back,

And increases the breasts but is not sated.