ظُبىً وَسِهامٌ أَم رَناً وَلحاظُ

عَلَيها نفوسُ العاشقين تُفاظُ

Is it a smiling gazelle or a flexible spear?

The souls of lovers swoon over her.

وَتلك رِماحٌ أَم قدودٌ موائسٌ

وَهَيهات أَعطافُ الرِماح غِلاظُ

Are they javelins or slender wine cups?

Alas, the javelins are not flexible.

وَما عميَت عن لينها عينُ كاشحٍ

ولكن قُلوبُ الكاشحين فِظاظُ

No critic's eye was blinded to her softness,

But the hearts of critics are harsh.

لعمريَ لو لم ترضَ نَفسي بحبِّها

لما كُنتُ أَرضى في الهوى وأغاظُ

By my life! If my soul did not accept loving her,

I would not accept love or persist in passion.

وإِنَّ فؤادي وهو شاكٍ من الهَوى

ليثنيه عن نهج السلوِّ حفاظُ

Though my heart doubts this love,

Faithfulness dissuades it from the path of indifference.

وَما جلهَت نَفسي بأَنَّ شرابَه

سَرابٌ وَبَرد العيش منه شُواظُ

My soul is not deceived that her wine

Is a mirage and the coolness of life comes from it.

وَهَل عَن مَقامات الهوى متحوَّلٌ

وَفيها شَتا أَهلُ الغَرام وَقاظوا

Can one turn away from the abodes of love

While people of passion are awake there night and day?

بِنَفسي من أَطمعتُ نَفسي بنَيلِها

وَما عندها للمستميح لَماظُ

I hoped for union with her, tempting my soul,

But she has no gentle union for those who seek her.

مَعاطفُها نَشوى وَما ذُقن خمرةً

وَأَجفانُها وَسنى وهنَّ يَقاظُ

Her greetings are joy, though we've tasted no wine,

And her eyes are sleep, though they are wide awake.

كأَنَّ عيوناً أغريت بجمالها

لشدَّة ما تَرنو إِليه جحاظُ

As if she has eyes that seduce with their beauty

So intensely they yearn for what they see.

برعتُ على أَهل الغَرام بوصفها

كأَنّي قُسٌّ وَالغَرامُ عُكاظُ

I surpassed people of passion in describing her

As if I were a judge and passion were a witness.