نثرَ الدّهرُ عِقْدِ ثَغْرِ حبيبي

فدُمُوعِي عليه تحكِي انْتِثَارَه

Time has scattered the pearls of my beloved's lips,

And so my tears tell of their dispersal.

كلُّ سِنٍّ كالأُقحُوانة كانَتْ

فَغَدَتْ بالدّماء كالجلَّنارَهْ

Each tooth was like a fresh jujube,

Turned by blood to ruby coral.

كان في حَوْمَةِ التَّلاقِي وما كا

نَ بعيداً في جُمْلة النَّظَّارَهْ

We met in the nook of his embrace, and he

Was not far in that throng of onlookers.

ما كفته تلك الملاحةُ مِنْهُ

أَو أَرَانَا مَلاحةً وشَطَارَهْ

That coquetry of his did not restrain him,

Nor did he show us coquetry or haughtiness.

فأَتته الأَحجارُ عِشْقاً وزارتُ

هُ فلا مَرْحباً بتلك الزِّيَارَهْ

The stones came to him out of love; I visited him,

But no welcome to that visit!

وكأَنَّ الأَحجار غارَتْ من

الخَلْقِ فشنَّت على ثَنَايَاهُ غارَهْ

It was as if the stones were jealous

Of people, so they showered his cheeks with blows.

لهفَ نَفْسِي على حلاوةِ ثَغْر

ذاقَ من بعدِها أَشدّ مَرَارهْ

My soul yearns for the sweetness of those lips

That tasted, after it, but bitterest myrrh.

كيف يسلو الفؤادُ ذكرَ حبيبٍ

حَسَدَتْنِي عليه حتَّى الحجارَهْ

How can my heart be consoled, remembering a beloved

For whom even stones envied me!