فَإِن يَحجُبوها أَو يَحُل دونَ وَصلِها

مَقالَةُ واشٍ أَو وَعيدُ أَميرِ

If they veil her or hinder our tryst

By threats from a spy or command of the Emir,

فَلَم يَحجُبوا عَينَيَّ عَن دائِمِ البَكا

وَلَن يَملِكوا ما قَد يَجُنَّ ضَميري

They have not veiled my eyes that weep constantly

Nor will they possess what my conscience holds dear.

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو ما أُلاقي مِنَ الهَوى

وَمِن حُرَقٍ تَعتادُني وَزَفيرِ

I complain to God of the pangs of passion,

Of burning affliction and many a tear,

وَمِن كُرَبٍ لِلحُبِّ في باطِنِ الحَشا

وَلَيلٍ طَويلِ الحُزنِ غَيرِ قَصيرِ

Of innermost grief for the joys of love lost

In long, sorrowful nights with no end in sight.

سَأَبكي عَلى نَفسي بِعَينٍ غَزيرَةٍ

بُكاءَ حَزينٍ في الوِثاقِ أَسيرِ

With copious weeping my sad eyes will rain

A woeful lament as a captive in chains.

وَكُنّا جَميعاً قَبلَ أَن يَظهَرَ النَوى

بِأَنعَمِ حالَي غِبطَةٍ وَسُرورِ

Ere the buds showed we shared in delight,

Blessed days of joy and of cheer.

فَما بَرِحَ الواشونَ حَتّى بَدَت لَنا

بُطونُ الهَوى مَقلوبَةً بِظُهورِ

No sooner the spies spied buds than they turned

And showed but the backs of their rears in flight.

لَقَد كُنتِ حَسبَ النَفسِ لَو دامَ وَصلُنا

وَلَكِنَّما الدُنيا مَتاعُ غُرورِ

You'd think, if our love lasted, my soul would rest sated

But naught in this world is safe from Time’s blight

لَوَ اَنَّ اِمرَأً أَخفى الهَوى عَن ضَميرِهِ

لَمِتُّ وَلَم يَعلَم بِذاكَ ضَميري

If a man hides his love, my soul cannot know,

Nor can my conscience touch what's from sight.