خَليليَّ خطبُ الحبِّ أَيسرُهُ صَعبُ
وَلكن عَذابُ المُستهام به عَذبُ
My beloved, love's discourse is easy at first
But the agony of one possessed by it is sweet
وَما أنسَ لا أَنسى وُقوفي صَبيحةً
وقد أَقبلت يَقتادُها الشَوقُ والحبُّ
I shall never forget standing one morn
As she came to me, led on by desire and love
فَتاةٌ هي البدرُ المُنيرُ إذا بَدَت
وَلكنَّ لا شَرقٌ حَواها ولا غَربُ
A girl, she is the shining full moon unveiled
Though no east or west can contain her
مُنعّمةٌ رؤدٌ لها الشَمسُ ضَرَّةٌ
وَغُصن النَقا ندٌّ وظبيُ الفَلا تِربُ
Luxuriant, tended by the submissive sun
Willow branch swaying, doe of meadow gamboling
فَوافَت تُناجيني بعتبٍ هو المُنى
وَلَيسَ يلَذُّ الحبُّ ما لَم يكن عَتبُ
She came to me whispering with reproach, the wish
For love is not joy unless twined with admonishment
فَما زلتُ أُبدي العُذرَ أَسأَلُها الرِضا
وَقَد علمت لو أَنصفَت لمن الذَنبُ
Still I made excuses, asked her pardon
Had she been just, she'd have known I was not to blame
إِلى أَن طوَت نشرَ العِتاب وأَقبلت
تبسَّمُ عن ثَغرٍ هو اللؤلؤُ الرَطبُ
Until she furled the standard of rebuke and smiled
From lips like moistened pearls
فعاطيتُها كأسَ الحَديثِ وَبَيننا
حِجابُ عَفافٍ عنده تُرفَعُ الحُجبُ
I gave her the wine of talk, a curtain between us
Of virtuous modesty, where all veils are lifted
فظلَّت بها سَكرى وَرُحتُ كأَنَّني
أَخو نَشوَةٍ بالراحِ لَيسَ لَهُ لبُّ
She remained intoxicated, while I departed
As one made giddy by the wind, witless
فَواللَهِ ما صِرفُ المُدامِ بِفاعِلٍ
بنا فعلَها يَوماً ولَو أَدمنَ الشِربُ
By God, the flowing wine does not make one act
Indecently, not even if addicted to drink
وَقَفتُ أُجيلُ الطَرفَ في روضِ حُسنها
وَيَمنَعُني من طَرفها مُرهَفٌ عَضبُ
I stood deferring my gaze in her garden of beauty
Though an angry watchman prevented me from looking
وَما برحَت تُصبي فؤادي وهل فَتىً
تغازلُه تِلكَ اللِحاظ ولا يَصبو
She did not stop seducing my heart, does a man
Endure such glances and remain indifferent?
وَراحَت تُريحُ القَلبَ من زَفَراتِهِ
بطيب حَديثٍ عنده يَقِفُ الرَكبُ
She relieved my heart of its sighs
With sweet talk, at which travelers halt
فَما راعَها الّا سُقوطُ قِناعِها
وطُرَّتُها في كَفِّ ريح الصَبا نَهبُ
Until her veil slipped and the desert wind
Snatched it from her hand, seized it as spoils
هُنالكَ أَبصرتُ المُنى كَيفَ تُجتَنى
وَكَيفَ يَنال القَلبُ ما أَمَّل القَلبُ
There I saw fulfillment, how hearts realize
What hearts desire, how hearts attain their wants
فَلِلَّه يَومٌ ساعَفَتنا بِهِ المُنى
وَطابَ لَنا فيه التواصلُ والقُربُ
Oh what a day when wishes were doubled for us
And intimacy and nearness were pure pleasure
