جَاءَتْ فَأَكْبَرَهَا طَرْفِي فَقُمْتُ لَهَا

وَقَدْ يَقُومُ لأَتْبَاعِي مَوَالِيْهَا

She came and my eyes were captivated, so I stood for her

Though my followers may stand for her followers

ثُمَّ اسْتَهَلَّتْ فَغَنَّتْ وَهْيَ مُحْسِنَةٌ

فِي بَعْضِ أَبْيَاتِ شِعْرٍ قُلْتُهُ فِيْهَا

Then she started singing, excellently performing

Some verses of poetry I had composed for her

فَأَحْسَنَتْ وَأَصَابَتْ فِي صِنَاعَتِهَا

وَمَا أَخَلَّتْ بِشَيءٍ مِنْ مَعَانِيْهَا

She sang well and aptly showcased her artistry

Missing nothing of their meanings

وَلَمْ أَزَلْ دُونَ نَدْمَانِيَّ مُقْتَرِحَاً

شِعْرِي عَلَيْهَا تُغَنِّيْنِي وَأَسْقِيْهَا

I kept suggesting to her, in my remorse,

That she sing my poems and I quench her thirst

حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ عُيُونَ الشَّرْبِ تَلْحَظُنِي

لَحْظَ الحَسُودِ فَلَمْ أَحْفِلْ بِهِمْ تِيْهَا

Until I saw eyes of jealousy gazing at me

With the envy of the envious, but I paid them no heed

هِيَ الشَّبِيْبَةُ تُطْرِيْنِيَ وَتَشْفَعُ لِي

عِنْدَ الفَتَاةِ فَتُرْضِيْنِي وَأُرْضِيْهَا

It is youth that charms me and intercedes for me

With the maiden, satisfying me and her

تَهْوَى مُنَاجَاتُهَا نَفْسِي وَيُقْنِعُهَا

بَعْضُ العِنَاقِ وَبَعْضُ اللَّثْمِ يَكْفِيْهَا

Her intimate conversation captivates my soul, and appeases her

Some embracing and some kissing suffices her

وَلاَ أَهْمُّ بِشَيءٍ غَيْرَ ذَاكَ بَلَى

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ مَصُّ الرِّيْقِ مِنْ فِيْهَا

I care for nothing else, but I seek God's forgiveness

For tasting the saliva from her mouth

غُصْنِي نَضِيْرٌ وَأَخْلاَقِي مُحَبَّبَةٌ

إِلَى القِيَانِ رَقِيْقَاتٌ حَوَاشِيْهَا

My branch is verdant, and my manners are beloved

By the slender bendable ones, and their edges

كَمْ مِنْ حَدِيْثٍ قَصِيْرٍ لِي أَصِيْدُ بِهِ

قَلْبَ الفَتَاةِ وَأَشْعَارٍ أُسَدِّيْهَا

How many short tales I have to catch with them

The heart of the maiden, and poems I recite to her

تَوَدُّ كُلُّ فَتَاةٍ حِيْنَ تَسْمَعُهَا

أَنِّي بِهَا دُوْنَ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ أَعْنِيْهَا

Every maiden desires, when she hears them,

That I mean her alone, apart from God's creation

فَكَيْفَ أَخْشَى صُدُودَ الغَانِيَاتِ وَقَدْ

أَخَذْتُ عَهْدَ أَمَانٍ مِنْ تَجَنِّيْهَا

So how can I fear the rejection of singers, when

I have taken a promise of safety from seducing her