وَلَقَد طَرَقتُ الحيَّ مِن سَعدِ
تحتَ الدُجى كالخادِرِ الوَردِ
I have wandered the abodes of Sa’d
In the darkness, like a frightened deer,
في لَيلَةٍ مَدَّت غياهبَها
من فَرعها كالفاحِمِ الجَعدِ
On a night which extended its darkness
Over its boughs like a stormy night.
وَالصبحُ يَستَهدي لمطلَعِه
نجمَ الدُجُنَّة وهو لا يَهدي
And dawn sought its place of rising
By the star of Delnos, which gives no guidance.
وَمُصاحِبي من ليس يَحفُرني
ماضي الضَريبة مُرهفُ الحَدِّ
My companion, who did not guide me,
Was running ahead, sharp witted.
فسَريتُ مُعتَسِفاً أَنُصُّ عَلى
عَبلِ المُقَلَّد مُشرِفٍ نَهدِ
So I walked along moaning, leaning
On a Mount Sinai bedecked with splashings.
لا أَهتَدي وَاللَيلُ معتَكِرٌ
إلّا بنَشرِ المِسك والنَدِّ
I could not find my way, the night being dark,
Save by the scent of musk and misk.
حتّى اِقتحمتُ الخدرَ مُجتَرئاً
أدلي بِقُربى الحبِّ والودِّ
Until I daringly entered the abode
Proffering there my love and affection,
فتنبَّهت مُرتاعَةً فَزَعاً
رَيّا المُخَلخَل طفلةُ الخَدِّ
She woke up frightened and alarmed—
Doe eyed, smooth cheeked maiden.
قالَت مَن المَقتولُ قُلتُ لها
من قد قَتَلتِ بلوعةِ الصَدِّ
She said, “who is murdered?” I said, “The one
Whom you murdered by being standoffish.”
قالَت قَتيلُ هَوايَ قُلتُ أَجل
قالَت أجلُّك عَن جَفا الردِّ
She said, “my love is murdered.” I said “Yes indeed,”
She said, “Yes, by your being cold and turning away.”
فَوَقَفتُ مُهري غَيرَ مرتَقِبٍ
وَنَزَلتُ من نَهدٍ إِلى نَهدِ
So I halted my steed, not expecting
To descend from one breast mound to another.
وَدَنَوتُ منها وَهي عاتِبَةٌ
أُبدي العتابَ لها كما تُبدي
And I drew near her while she was blaming
As if she wanted to blame me.
ثمَّ اِعتنَقنا وهي مُغضِيَةٌ
عنّي وَبات وِسادها زَندي
Then we embraced while she was frowning
At me, and she spent the night with my arm as her pillow.
وَضمَمتُ سيفي بينَنا فَغدَت
غَيري تُدَفِّعُه عَلى عَمدِ
I sheathed my sword between us, and it became
Like someone else she would fend off deliberately.
حتّى إِذا ضاقَ العِناقُ بنا
ضمّاً يَذوبُ له حَصى العِقدِ
Until, when the embrace became tight for us—
An embrace whose ardour would melt stones—
قالَت فدَيتُك دَعه ناحيَةً
يُغنيكَ ضَمُّ الرُمح من قَدّي
She said, “May I ransom you, put it aside
The clasping of your spear is enough for me.”
