يا للهوى مَن لِصَبٍّ لَم يَنَل أَرَبا
عاني المها مستهلّ الدَمع هامرُه
O love, for one smitten with passion unquenched,
Who suffers longings, his tears freely pouring,
بادي الضَنى ذو غَرام سامهُ شَجَنا
يَهوى الظِبا وَهوى الآرام قاهرُه
Grief plain in his mien, his affection so staunch,
Pining for roebuck and hill-deer adoring;
وَيح العِدا وَاللَواحي حَمّلته عَنا
جَمر الأَسى لَم يَزَل دَوماً يُساهرُه
Harsh censors attack him with venom and punch,
Embers of anguish cease not to be scorching;
ماذا حَوى وَيح قَلبي ظَلَّ مُرتَهنا
يَرجو اللقا وَالظبا تيها تُغادرُه
What rails at my heart that is held in its clutch,
Yearning for meeting while shunning its fording?
كَم مِن رَشا وَغَزال هَزَّ قَدّ قَنا
إِذا رَنا فتنَ الأَلباب ناظرُه
What fair one has bent the slim waist in its notch,
Should he grace us, his looks leave all thoughts swording?
نَجمٌ هَوى بِأَبي مِنهُ بَديع سَنا
تَحت الدُجى قَمر تَزهو مَظاهرُه
A star passion-struck for a beauty sans botch,
The moon under gloom, all her aspects according;
ذاكي الشَذا خَدّهُ الوَرديّ طاب جَنى
بَين المَلا جلّ عَن رَيب يُجاورُه
That witty fawn, cheek as rosebud encroached,
‘Mid the throng without sin, next this idol warding;
يا طالَما صُنت عَمَّن لامَني أذنا
رُمت القلى رَيثَما أني أحاذرُه
O oft have I bridled hearing whoever would blotch
My name, so I spurn all such ears on according.
هَل مِن لحا وَمدام الثَغر كَأس هَنا
يا ذا النُهى أترى نِدّاً يناظرُه
In this haunt, is wine found in a cup within reach?
Seest a boon companion vis-à-vis boarding?
ما إِن أَرى غَير ما أملت فيهِ مُنى
إِلّا النَدى وَأَمين المَجد ناشرُه
I see not but what I have hoped I beseech,
Saving honor and fame being bruited recording.
بَدر التُقى مَن إِذا أَتلو لَديهِ ثَنا
سامي الذرى رَتّلت مَدحي مآثرُه
Full moon of piety, when my rhymes I attach,
Extolling his exploits, his glories awarding,
وافي السخا أَريحيّ كَم حَبا مننا
سَحّ العطا مِن نَدىً جادَت بواكرُه
Free-handed magnanimous one who would snatch
From Want’s claw the rapture its onset retarding!
شَهمٌ سَما كُلّ مَعنى حازَهُ حسنا
حَتّى رَقى عِندَما باهَت مفاخرُه
Valiant soul writ each sense and all nuances cache,
Till he climbed where his feats paled by his towering;
لا يختشى فَهوَ غَيث البرِّ إِن هتنا
إِذا سَطا لِمَعت بِطشاً بواترُه
No dread mars for he’s rain of grace should we catch
Distress, by his might life-breath freely is stored.
نالَ المُنى لا اِنبَرى يَلقى هَنا وَمُنى
حَتّى حَوى ظافِراً فيما يبادرُه
He attained his hopes nor shrinks what comes to snatch,
Till he grasped in his victories sought unfording.
