نَعِمْنا بوصْلٍ منْ حَبيبٍ مُساعِدِ

وقدْ أقْلَقَ النّفْسَ انتظارُ المَواعِدِ

We were blessed by the union with a beloved helper,

Though waiting for the trysts had disturbed the soul.

وبِتْنا كما شاءَ الهَوى عقِبَ النّوى

على رَغْمِ أنْفٍ منْ عدُوٍّ وحاسِدِ

We spent the night as passion wished, against

The spite of a foe and envier.

وحفَّ بِنا جُنْحُ الظّلامِ كأنّما

أحاديثُ سرٍّ ضمّها قلْبُ جاحِدِ

The wing of darkness enveloped us, as though

Whispers of secrets a grudging heart concealed.

نُجاذِبُ أهْدابَ العِتابِ لَطيفَةً

فنَسْقي بعِهْدِ الدّمْعِ ذِكْرى المَعاهِدِ

We banter the reproaches of blame gently,

And with the pact of tears we water the memories of covenants.

ونَمْزُجُ كأسَ الرّاحِ تُتْرَعُ بيْنَنا

شَمولاً بمَعْسولٍ من الرّيقِ بارِدِ

We mix the cup of ease sipped between us

With a decoction of the spittle, chilled.

ونلْثِمُ ما بيْنَ النّحورِ الى الطُّلا

وإنْ هيَ غصّتْ بالحُلى والقلائِدِ

We kiss what is between the necks and the plaits

Though adorned with trinkets and necklaces.

وتنْهَلُ منْ وِرْدِ اللّمى غُلّةَ الظّما

فيا لَكَ منْ رَيٍّ لغُلّةِ وارِدِ

You quaff the bubbly wine of virgin’s lips,

What a drink for the arrival of the vintner!

وتنْعَمُ منْ وصْلِ الحبيبِ بجنّةٍ

هيَ الخُلْدُ لكنّ الفَتى غيرُ خالِدِ

You enjoy the union with the beloved in a paradise

Which is eternity - but the youth is not eternal.

ولمّا استَمالَ النّوْمُ والكأسُ جَفنَهُ

وألْقى لسُلْطانِ الكَرى بالمَقالِدِ

When sleep and the cup weighed down his eyelids

And he surrendered to the sultanate of vine by pillows,

نضَحْتُ على نِيرانِ قلْبي بقُرْبِهِ

ووسّدْتُهُ ما بيْنَ نحْري وساعِدي

I showered the fires of my heart by his nearness

And cradled him between my throat and arm.

وكانتْ الى ذِكْرِ الفِراقِ التِفاتَةٌ

قدَحْتُ بها زنْدَ الأسى غيرَ خامِدِ

And I thought of parting

Kindling thereby the spark of never-dying sorrow.

فأيْقَظَهُ قلْبٌ خَفوقٌ ومُقْلَةٌ

تَجودُ بدُرٍّ ذائِبٍ غيرِ جامِدِ

So a throbbing, restless heart awoke him,

Flowing with a melting, solid moon.

وريعَ وقد شدّ العِناقُ وَثاقَهُ

كما ريعَ ظبْيٌ في حِبالةِ صائِدِ

He jerked awake, as the doe jerks awake

When the snare of the hunter binds it.

فأقْبَلَ يشْكو ضعْفَ ما أنا أشْتَكي

ويسألُ منْ أشْواقِه كلَّ شاهِدِ

He began to complain of the weakness I complain of

And seek from his passions every witness.

ويُقْسِمُ لي أنْ لا يخونَ مَواثِقاً

تخِذْتُ علَيْهِ مُحْكَماتِ المَعاقِدِ

He swore he'd not break the covenants

I’d made with him, as binding as can be.

وقال تهَنّ الوَصْل منّي فإنّما

يهونُ الى المحْبوبِ خوْضُ الشّدائِدِ

He said: “Union with me is easy, for to the beloved

Enduring ordeals is but slight.”

الى أن دَعا داعي الصّباحِ وأقْبَلَتْ

طَلائِعُ فجْرٍ للدُّجُنّةِ ذائِدِ

Till the caller to morn called and the vanguard

Of a dawn destructive of the dark arrived.

فعانَقْتُ منْهُ الغُصْنَ في كُثُبِ النّقى

وقبّلْتُ منهُ البدْرَ بينَ الفَراقِدِ

I embraced the branch in the thickets of purity

And kissed the full moon among the sleepers.

وودّعْتُهُ كرْهاً وداعَ ضَرورةٍ

وحُكْمُ النّوى يجْري على غيْرِ واحِدِ

I bade him farewell, reluctantly, a necessary farewell,

As the rule of fate treats not one alone.

وقامَ كما هبّ النّسيمُ بسَحْرَةٍ

فمالَ بمَمْطورٍ منَ البانِ مائِدِ

He rose as the morning breeze rises gently,

Leaning on a pillow of Anbar scent.

وولّى فرَدّ الطّرْفَ نحْوي مُسلِّماً

بهِ بيْنَ أتْرابٍ حِسانِ النّواهِدِ

He turned his gaze to me, consigning me

Among dear ones, excellent in pledges.

فأما اصْطِباري فهْو أوّلُ راحِلٍ

وأمّا اشْتِياقي فهْوَ أوّلُ قاعِدِ

As for my composure, it was the first to depart,

As for my longing, it was the first to stay.

فيا قَلْبِ صَبْراً إنّ للدّهْرِ رجْعَةً

لعلّ لعَهْدِ الوصْلِ عوْدَةَ عائِدِ

O heart, be patient - time has a return,

Maybe the days of union will come again.