يا لِقَوْمي مَنْ لمكتَئِبِ

دَمْعُهُ في الخَدّ مُنْسَفِحُ

O my people—behold a grief-stricken man,

his tears streaming down the cheek.

لامَهُ العُذَّالُ في رَشَأ

عُذْرُهُ في مِثْلِه يَضِحُ

The censurers blamed him for loving a gazelle-fawn;

for loving one such as he, his excuse is clear.

وادَّعَوْا نُصْحي وَأَخْوَنُ ما

كان عُذَّالي إذا نَصَحُوا

They claimed to counsel me—yet most treacherous

were my censurers whenever they counseled.

خَوّفُوني من فَضِيحتِهِ

ليْتَه وَاتَى وافْتَضَحُ

They frightened me with disgrace on his account;

would that he consented, though I be disgraced!

كيف يَسْلُو القَلْبُ عن غُصُنٍ

علَّهُ من مائِهِ المَرَحُ

How can the heart forget him—a supple bough

whom gaiety waters from its own water?

ذَهَبِيُّ الخَدِّ تَحْسَبُ مِنْ

وَجْنَتَيْهِ النّارُ تَنْقَدِحُ

Golden-cheeked—you would think that from

his two cheeks fire flashes forth.

وَكَأَنّ الشَّمْسَ نِيطَ بها

قَمَرٌ يُمْنَاهُ والقَدَحُ

As though to the sun there had been fastened

a moon: his right hand together with the goblet.

صَدَّ إذْ مازَحْتُه غَضَباً

ما على الأحْبَابِ إن مَزَحُوا

He turned away in anger when I teased him;

yet lovers are not to blame if they jest.

وَهْوَ لا يدري لِنَخْوَتِهِ

أنّنا في النّومِ نَصْطَلِحُ

In his pride, he does not know

that in sleep we make our peace.

ثُمَّ لا أَنْسَى مَقَالَتَهُ

أَطُفَيْلِيٌّ ومُقْتَرِحُ

And never shall I forget his words:

“A gate-crasher—and making demands too?”