ما عَلى حاديهُمُ لَو كانَ عاجا
فَقَضى حين مَضى للصبِّ حاجا
No blame upon their inspiration though it seemed impossible,
When youth departed to seek youth he was most eager,
ظعنوا وَالقَلبُ يَقفو إِثرَهُم
تَبِعَ العيسَ بُكوراً واِدِّلاجا
They set forth while my heart raced after them,
At dawn it trailed the caravan through the darkness.
سَلَكوا من بطن فجٍّ سُبُلاً
لا عَدى صَوبُ الحيا تلك الفِجاجا
They took paths in the belly of gaping lowlands,
Along trails where the highborn never tread.
هم أَراقوا بِنَواهم أَدمُعي
وأَهاجوا لاعجَ الوَجدِ فَهاجا
They shed tears in their resolve till I wept,
And kindled for their noblest passions the fieriest flames.
كَم أداجي في هواهُم كاشِحاً
أَعجزَ الكتمانُ مَن حبَّ فَداجى
How I yearned in their love till my bones protruded,
When love takes hold, discretion is of no avail.
وعَذولاً يُظهرُ النُصحَ بهم
فإِذا نَهنَهتُهُ زاد لجاجا
And they acted heedless, though my counsel was sincere,
If I chided they but gained in defiance.
طارَحَتني الورقُ فيهم شَجَناً
وَالصبا أَوحَت شَجاً وَالبَرقُ ناجى
The leaves tossed me about in longing for them,
While the lightning in darkness called to the clouds.
يا بَريقاً لاحَ من حيِّهمُ
يَصدعُ الجوَّ ضياءً واِبتلاجا
O brilliant glimpse that gleamed from their dwellings,
Ripping through the gloom in a blaze of adornment.
أَنتَ جدَّدتَ بتَذكارِهُمُ
للحشى وَجداً وَللطَرف اِختلاجا
You revived in recalling them such piercing sorrow,
And set both my eyes and heart trembling.
هاتِ فاِشرَح لي أَحاديثَهُم
إِنَّها كانَت لما أَشكو عِلاجا
Come, unfold their tales that I may find solace,
For my malady grows the more it is doctored.
عَلَّها تُبرئ وَجداً كامِناً
كلَّما عالجتهُ زاد اِعتِلاجا
Mayhap their words will heal the secret longing
That festers all the more as it's tended.
ما لِقَلبي والصَبا وَيحَ الصَبا
كُلَّما مرَّت به زادَ اِهتِياجا
Why does my heart swoon for the days of youth?
Each time they pass it shakes with greater fervor.
خَطرَت سَكرى بريّا نَشرِهم
وَتَحَلَّت منهمُ عِقداً وتاجا
From their throng sprang a drunken, bewitching thrill
And I gathered in their midst a wreath and crown.
يحسدُ الرَوضُ شذاها سَحَراً
فَترى الأَغصانَ سِرّاً تَتَناجى
The garden envied their scent at dawn,
And you'd think the branches whispered together.
آهِ مِن قَومٍ سَقَوني في الهَوى
صِرفَ حبٍّ لم أَذق مَعه مِزاجا
Ah, that tribe whose love has left me distraught
In passions so pure, no joy compares!
خَلَّفوا جِسمي وَقَلبي معهُم
كيفما عاجَت حُداةُ الرَكبِ عاجا
They left my body and heart amongst them
However the riders' course may veer and swerve.
أَتراهُم عَلِموا كَيفَ دَجا
مَربَعٌ كانوا لناديهِ سِراجا
Could it be they knew how I languished in gloom
Like a lantern lighting their gatherings with rays?
أَم دَروا أَنّا وردنا بَعدَهم
سائغَ العَذبِ من البَلوى أجاجا
Or did they guess that when we met thereafter
The sweetest nectar was now bitter aloes?
وهم غايةُ آمالي هُمُ
سارَ في حبِّهمُ ذِكري فَراجا
For they are my hopes' fulfillment, and their fame
Spread its wings through the lands in liberty.
لا عَراهُم حادِثُ الدَهرِ ولا
بَرحَت أَيّامُهم تُبدي اِبتِهاجا
Time has not changed them, nor have their days
Ceased to display the blissful laugh of joy.
