وَافَى الْكِتَابُ فَأَحْيَا

قَلْبَ المَشُوقِ الكَئِيبِ

The book arrived and revived

The heart of the melancholy longing one

بِنَظْرَةٍ مِنْ صَدِيقٍ

عَنْ أَعْيُنِي مَحْجُوبِ

With a glance from a friend

Hidden from my eyes

وَرَجْعِ صَوْتٍ رَقِيقٍ

حُرِمْتُهُ فِي المَغِيبِ

And the return of a soft voice

That I missed in absence

كَأَنَّمَا أَنْتَ فِيهِ

مَخَاطِبِي عَنْ قَرِيبِ

As if you were in it

Addressing me closely

أَذْكَرْتَنِي غَيْرَ نَاسٍ

يَوْمَ الفَتَاةِ اللَّعُوبِ

You remembered me unlike others

On the day of playful youth

بَيْنَ الأَوَانِسِ وَالتُّ

رْبُ حَبُّ القُلُوبِ

Among the intimates and the

Love of hearts is the way of hearts

في مَسْرَحٍ ضَاقَ رَحْباً

بِكُلِّ غَاوٍ أَدِيبِ

In a theater that was spacious

With every cultured lover

تُوحِي المَحَاسِنُ فِيهِ

مُقَدَّمَاتِ الذُّنُوبِ

Beauty hints in it

The beginnings of sins

أَدْمَاءُ كَالشَّمْسِ تَبْدُو

وَالوَقْتُ بَعْدَ الْغُرُوبِ

Ruddy complexions appear like the sun

And the time after sunset

مَلِيكَةٌ ذَاتُ وَجْهٍ

سَمْحٍ وَطَرْفٍ مُذِيبِ

A queen with a face

Of serenity and melting eyelids

بِالنورِ تُنزِلُ آيَا

تِ حُكْمِهَا المَرْهُوبِ

She delivers verses with light

Of her feared rule

مِثَالُهَا مِنْ ضَمِيرِي

في مَقْدِسٍ مَحْجُوبِ

Her example is from my conscience

In a hidden sanctuary

مُسَيَّجُ مِنْ غَرَامِي

وَغَيْرَتِي بِلَهِيبِ

Fenced by my passion

And jealousy with flames

يَجْثُو فُؤادِي فِيهِ

بَيْنَ اللَّظَى المَشْبُوبِ

My heart kneels in it

Between embracing embers

وَيَعْبُدُ الطَّيْفَ مِنْهَا

في مَأْمَنٍ مِنْ رَقِيبِ

And worships her shadow

In refuge from a watcher

لكِنْ أَغَارُ عَلَيْهَا

مِنْ ذِي دَهَاءٍ َأرِيبِ

But I envy her

From a sly deceiver

أَخِي مَزَاحٍ وَرِفْقٍ

مُسْتَلْطَفِ التَّشْبِيبِ

My brother of jest and kindness

Of enchanting youth

وَمَا عَنَيْتُ حَبِيباً

حَاشَا وَفَاءِ حَبِيبِ

I never intended a lover

Far from the loyalty of the beloved