سَلامٌ على دير القُصَيْرِ وسَفْحِهِ

فَجَنّاتِ حُلْوَانٍ إلى النّخَلاَتِ

Peace upon Dir Qusair and its slopes,

Gardens of sweetness down to palm trees,

منازِلُ كانَتْ لي بِهِنّ مَآرِبُ

وَكُنّ مَوَاخِيرِي ومُنْتَزَهَاتِي

Were dwellings of mine, and in them delights,

And they were my trysts and my promenades.

إذا جئتُها كانَ الجِيَادُ مَرَاكِبي

ومُنْصَرَفي في السُفْنِ مُنْحَدَرَاتِ

When I came to them, steeds were my mounts,

And as I left, ships were my vessels.

فَأَقْنِصُ بالأسْحَارِ وحْشِيَّ عِينِهَا

وأعْدُو على الإنسِيِّ في الظلمات

I hunted at dawn the shy-eyed gazelle,

And raced the human in the darkness.

معي كلُّ بَسَّامٍ أغَرَّ مُسَاعِدٍ

على كل ما يَهْوَى النّديمُ مُوَاتِي

With me, every kiss-scarred charmer alluring,

Fulfilling each desire of the boon companion.

وجُرْدٌ كأَعْنَاقٍ الظِّبَاءِ صَوَارِمٌ

تُبَادِرُ في مِضْمَارِهَا القَصَبَاتِ

A troop like the necks of wild cows, swords

That vie in their arena with spear-shafts.

وَلُحْمَانٌ مما أمْسَكْتُه كلابُنَا

عَلَيْنا ومِمّا صِيْدَ بالشَّبَكَاتِ

Meats that our hounds seized for us

And that we hunted in nets.

طَعَامٌ إذا ما شِئْتُ باكَرْتُ طَبْخَهُ

على كثرة من غِلْمَتي وطُهَاتي

Food, if I wished, quickly cooked

By many lads and lassies of mine.

وصفْراءُ مثلُ التِّبْرِ يَحُمِل كاسَهَا

شديدُ فُتُورِ الطَّرْفِ واللَّحَظَاتِ

A blonde like ivory carrying her cup,

Languid of glance and motions.

كأنّ قَضِيبَ البانِ عند اهتِزَازِهِ

تَعَلّمَ من أَطْرَافِهِ الحرَكَاتِ

As if the staff of the wet-nurse in shaking

Learned movement from its extremities.

هنالِكَ تَصْفُو لي مشارِبُ لَذَّتي

وتصحَبُ أيامُ السُّرورِ حَيَاتي

There my drinks would clarify my pleasures

And days of joy accompany my life.