غَلَبَ الْوَجْدُ عَلَيْهِ فَبَكَى
وَتَوَلَّى الصَّبْرُ عَنْهُ فَشَكَا
Passion overcame him, so he wept
Patience deserted him, so he complained
وَتَمَنَّى نَظْرَةً يَشْفِي بِهَا
عِلَّةَ الشَّوْقِ فَكَانَتْ مَهْلَكَا
He wished for a glance to cure
The illness of yearning, but it was fatal
يَا لَهَا مِنْ نَظْرَةٍ مَا قَارَبَتْ
مَهْبِطَ الْحِكْمَةِ حَتَّى انْهَتَكَا
What a glance! It did not approach
The place of wisdom until it was ravaged
نَظْرَةٌ ضَمَّ عَلَيْهَا هُدْبَهُ
ثُمَّ أَغْرَاهَا فَكَانَتْ شَرَكَا
A glance that drew its trap for me
Then seduced me, so it was my partner
غَرَسَتْ فِي الْقَلْبِ مِنِّي حُبَّهُ
وَسَقَتْهُ أَدْمُعِي حَتَّى زَكَا
It planted its love in my heart
And watered it with my tears until it flourished
آهِ مِنْ بَرْحِ الْهَوَى إِنَّ لَهُ
بَيْنَ جَنْبَيَّ مِنَ النَّارِ ذَكَا
Oh, the misery of passionate love! For it
Has lit a fire inside me
كَانَ أَبْقَى الْوَجْدُ مِنِّي رَمَقاً
فَاحْتَوَى الْبَيْنُ عَلَى مَا تَرَكَا
Passion was more lasting for me than life
So separation contained what was left
إِنَّ طَرْفِي غَرَّ قَلْبِي فَمَضَى
فِي سَبِيلِ الشَّوْقِ حَتَّى هَلَكَا
My eyes misled my heart so it passed away
On the path of passion until it perished
قَدْ تَوَلَّى إِثْرَ غِزْلانِ النَّقَا
لَيْتَ شِعْرِي أَيَّ وَادٍ سَلَكَا
It followed the locks of the beautiful gazelle
If only I knew which valley they roamed
لَمْ يَعُدْ بَعْدُ وَظَنِّي أَنَّهُ
لَجَّ فِي نَيْلِ الْمُنَى فَارْتَبَكَا
It no longer returns, and I think it
Was tangled in attaining wishes and confused
وَيْحَ قَلْبِي مِنْ غَرِيمٍ مَاطِلٍ
كُلَّمَا جَدَّدَ وَعْدَاً أَفَكَا
Woe to my heart from a promising betrayer
Who breaks his promise whenever he makes one
ظَنَّ بِي سُوءاً وَقَدْ سَاوَمْتُهُ
قُبْلَةً فَازْوَرَّ حَتَّى فَرِكَا
He suspected me wrongly though I had bargained with him
A kiss, so he was dishonest until he withdrew
فَاغْتَفِرْهَا زَلَّةً مِنْ خَاطِئٍ
لَمْ يَكُنْ بِاللهِ يَوْمَاً أَشْرَكَا
Forgive it as a mistake from a sinner
Who never associated any with Allah
يَا غَزَالاً نَصَبَتْ أَهْدَابُهُ
بِيَدِ السِّحْرِ لِضَمِّي شَبَكَا
O gazelle whose languishing glance
My heart was ensnared by sorcery to capture it
قَدْ مَلَكْتَ الْقَلْبَ فَاسْتَوْصِ بِهِ
إِنَّهُ حَقٌّ عَلَى مَنْ مَلَكَا
You have won over the heart so take care of it
For it is a right against whoever possesses it
لا تُعَذِّبْهُ عَلَى طَاعَتِهِ
بَعْدَ مَا تَيَّمْتَهُ فَهْوَ لَكَا
Do not torment it for obeying you
After you made it an orphan, so it is yours
غَلَبَ الْيَأْسُ عَلَى حُسْنِ الْمُنَى
فِيكَ وَاسْتَوْلَى عَلَى الضِّحْكِ الْبُكَا
Despair of wishing well overcame me
And crying took over laughter
فَإِلَى مَنْ أَشْتَكِي مَا شَفَّنِي
مِنْ غَرَامٍ وَإِلَيْكَ الْمُشْتَكَى
So to whom can I complain of the love
That distressed me, while you are the one I complain to
سَلَكَتْ نَفْسِي سَبِيلاً فِي الْهَوَى
لَمْ تَدَعْ فِيهِ لِغَيْرِي مَسْلَكَا
My soul took a path in passion
And left no other path for anyone else
