وَتَذَكَّرت عَهدَ الهَوى

وَزَمان وَصل في الحِمى

I remember the era of passion

And the days of union in ardour

لَكنَّها لَمّا رَأَت

شَغفي وَوَجدي قَد نَما

But when she saw

My fervour and love had grown

أَومَت إِليّ مشيرةً

إِنّي أَخاف اللوَّما

She hinted to me

"I fear blame"

فَإِذا الدُجا اِنسَدَلَت سَتا

ئِرُهُ وَجَنَّ وَأَظلَما

So when night spreads

Its curtains and covers all

بادر إِلى نَيل المُنى

وَصلاً حَلا لَكَ مَغنَما

Seize the chance

For a fruitful union

حَتّى إِذا غَفل الرَقي

ب وَبات ضدّي في عَمى

Until when the guard sleeps

And my rival slumbers in ignorance

زارَت وَقَد كانَت وشا

ة الحَيّ طُرّاً نُوّما

She visits me, she who was the most vivacious of the living, a soaring bird

She approaches as love toyed with our minds and took control

وَدَنَت وَقَد لَعب الهَوى

بِعُقولنا وَتَحَكَّما

I drew her close until when

Our lips met in a smile

فَضَمَمتها حَتّى إِذا

ما أَلثمتنيَ مبسما

I encircled her waist as she

Had clasped my wrist

طَوّقتها زندي كَما

قَد منطقتني مِعصَما

Swaying, of gentle nature

A branch of the tamarisk bending

هَيفاء مِن أَعطافِها

غُصن الأَراك تَعلَّما

Not a branch, nor a gazelle at pasture

Nor the full moon on the horizon

ما الغُصن ما ريم الفَلا

ما البَدر في أُفق السَما

When she moaned, and the bright star

Pelted its arrows

لَمّا رنت وَالمُقلة الن

نجلاء تَرشق أَسهما

Harut fell for heavenly beauty

And surrendered to destiny

هاروت آمن بِالعُيو

نِ وَلِلحَواجب أَسلَما

When he heard the story of passion

From the torment of those days

لَمّا رَوى خَبرَ العَقي

ق عذيب ذيّاك اللمى

My tears narrated the tale of bliss

About the water of the sky

دَمعي أَتى بِرواية الن

نعمان عَن ماءِ السَما

Oh friend, if time was kind to you

And blessed you with her

يا صاح إِن سَمح الزَما

ن بِها عَلَيك وَأَنعما

Cast off your excuses and seize

The opportunities of intimacy and gain

فَاِخلَع عِذارك وَاِبتَدر

فرص الخَلاعة وَاِغنَما

And if the memory of a friend calls on you

To reminisce and yearn

وَإِذا دَعاك إِلى الثَنا

ذكر الصَديق وَهيَّما

Recite the praise of Ahmed

And seek his protection, intent upon him

فَاِنشُر مَدائح أَحمَد

وَاِقصد حِماه ميمّما

Extol his virtues gently

King of hearts, and covet

شَهم بِلُطف خِصاله

ملك القُلوب وَتيّما

When he ascended to the highest rank

He took righteousness as his ladder

لَمّا اِرتَقى رتب العُلى

تَخذ المَكارم سُلّما

So I examined his opinions

With the stars of knowledge as guides

فَاِستطلعت أراؤُهُ

بسما المَعارف أَنجُما

In prose, his fortune is abundant

Wisdom he elucidated and perfected

بِالخطّ وافرُ حَظّه

حكماً أَبانَ فَأَحكَما

And by his ascendance he made subsistence flow

As if it would speak

وَبطرسهِ أَجرى اليَرا

ع فَكاد أَن يَتَكَلَّما

He disliked inequality

So turn away from it

بكر الزَمان وَإِنَّما

كَره السِوى فاِستَعقما

And if his era is delayed

He preceded the generous

فَلَئن تَأَخّر عَصره

فَعَلى الكِرام تَقَدّما

And by the evident praise, from which

My tongue translated

وَبِباهر الحَمد الَّذي

عَنهُ لِساني تَرجَما

My fortunes were happy to belong

To the praise of the best association

سَعدت حُظوظي فَاِنتَمى

مَدحي لِأَحسَن مُنتمى

The star of his fortune continues

To shine over the moon in the sky

لا زالَ كَوكَب سَعده

يَزهو عَلى قَمَر السَما

Neither the fragrance of beautiful love

Nor the breeze of intimacy has breathed

ما فاحَ عرف شَذا الهَنا

وَنَسيم أنسي نَسَّما

Nor the joking of love for the charming one

Who captures hearts and sings to them

أَو ما هزار هَوى المَها

برُبى القُلوب تَرنَّما