بَدا كغصنٍ مائِسِ

في أَفخر الملابسِ

He appeared like a swaying branch

In the finest of garments

بدرٌ إذا لاحَ لنا

جلّا دُجى الحنادسِ

A full moon that shone for us

Dispelling the darkness of melancholy

يدير من رُضابه

شَهداً ومن أَكوابِهِ

From his cheeks he pours

Wine and from his cups

راحاً حكت بكفِّه

ناراً بكفِّ قابسِ

Comfort that his palm dictated

And fire that the palm of one who grasps lit

أَفديه من مهفهف

لَدن القَوام أَهيَفِ

I ransom him from distress

Of forebears, sleepy and lazy

كأَنَّما مقلتُهُ

مقلةُ ظبيٍ ناعسِ

As if his beauty

Is the beauty of a sleepy gazelle

تخاله إذا بَدا

شمساً له الشَمسُ فِدا

Imagine him when he appears

The sun his ransom

وَالفرعُ منه فاحِمٌ

كَجُنح لَيلٍ دامسِ

And his hair intoxicating

Like the wings of a tranquil night

هواهُ حلَّ في الحَشا

ومن حُميّاه اِنتَشى

His love settled in my innermost being

And from his ardour I came alive

عَقلي إذا نادمتُه

في أَشرف المجالسِ

My mind when it reproaches him

In the noblest of gatherings