وافى وَقَد لَعب النَسيم بِرُدنِهِ

يَسعى إِلى النُدما بقرقف دَنّهِ

He came while the breeze played with his softness,

Rushing to the tryst with the clinking of his ornaments.

أَفديهِ مِن رَشأٍ أُسرت بِجفنِهِ

وَمُهفهف سَلب العُقول بِحُسنِهِ

I ransom him from the mischief captured in his eyelids,

And the coquetry that stole minds with his beauty.

وَبِنور صُبح جَبينه إِذ أَسفَرا

حاوَلت حَلَّ رُموزه مِن عقدِهِ

And by the light of dawn on his brow when it shone,

I tried to solve the riddles of his knotted heartstrings.

فَشَهدت درَّ الثَغر جاد بِشَهدِهِ

فَضممته وَلَقَد وَثَقت بوعدِهِ

I saw the nectar of his mouth flowing with its honey.

I held him close and indeed I trusted his promise.

فَغَدا يُبارزني بِأَسمر قدّهِ

وَاِزداد تيهاً فَاِعتَلى وَتَكَبّرا

So he began to challenge me with his dark nape,

And he became more lost, rising up arrogantly.

أدنيتهُ فَنأى وَزاد بِعجبه

وَرَمى بِسَهم الصَدّ قَلب مُحبّهِ

I drew him near but he recoiled and grew more amazed.

He shot me with the arrow of rejection to my loving heart.

قُلت اِتّئد وَأَنا القَتيل بِحُبِّهِ

يا هاجِري لَمّا رَأى شَغفي بِهِ

I said, “Be gentle,” though I was the one slain by his love!

O my migrating one, when he saw my passion for him,

لِمَ لي بَعثت الطَيف في طَلب الكَرى

لي رفعة بِهَواك يَحسدها المَلا

Why did you send an apparition seeking from afar?

By your love I have an eminence envied by angels.

دَلَّت عَلى صدق المَحبّة وَالولا

دَعني أَنل مِن طيب وَصلك مَأملا

It attests to the sincerity of love and devotion.

Let me attain the good of your affection hopefully!

حَسبي ضنى جِسمي بِهَجرك وَالقِلا

ما كانَ شَأن مُحبّكم أَن يهجرا

It suffices me, the emaciation of my body in your estrangement and paucity.

It was not the way of your lover to abandon you.

أَصبَحت غبَّ تَنعمي وَتلذّذي

أَلقى الوشاة بِسورة المتعوّذِ

You lived in comfort and in pleasure.

The slanderers cast the protected chapter.

قَسماً بِشهد رضابك المتنبّذِ

إِنَّ الَّذي خَلق الغَرام هُوَ الَّذي

I swear by the scattered honey of your pleasure:

Indeed He who created passion is He who

ذلّي لعزّك قَد دَرى إِذ قدّرا

فَإِلى مَتى هَذا التَباعد وَالنَوى

Subjugated me to your glory, He knew when He ordained.

How long will this separation and distancing be?

يا فاتِني أَضعفت حيلي وَالقوى

إِن كُنت لا تَرضى بِمَيلي لِلسوى

O my seducer, you weakened my stratagems and strength.

If you will not accept my inclination to idolatry,

أَقصر جَفاك فَإِن مِن خَلق الهَوى

خلق السلوّ فَلا يَغرَّك ما جَرى

Then shorten your estrangement, for it is the nature of passion

To create oblivion. So do not let what happened deceive you.