يا مُهدِيَ الوَردِ الجَنِيِّ لَنا
جَرياً عَلى عاداتِهِ الأُوَلِ
O guide of the rose bouquet for us
Flowing in its old ways
إِنَّ الزَمانَ رَمى وَليَّكُمُ
في مُقلَتَيهِ بِحادِثٍ جَلَلِ
Time has cast its glance at your loved one
With a momentous event in its eyes
فَمَتى يُسَرُّ بِمَنظَرٍ حَسَنٍ
وَالحَظُّ عِندَ الحُسنِ لِلمُقلِ
So when will it be pleased with a good sight
As fortune favors beauty for the glance
أَهدَيتَها مِثلَ الخُدودِ خُدو
دَ البيضِ قَد دَمِيَت مِنَ الخَجَلِ
You gifted it like blushing cheeks
Cheeks white as if tear-stained from shyness
حَسناءَ جاءَت مِن مَلابِسِها
مُختالَةً في أَحسَنِ الحُلَلِ
A beautiful woman came in her clothes
Strutting in the best apparel
في غَيرِ مَوسِمِها وَقَد ذَهَبَت
أَيّامُها وَالدَهرُ ذو دُوَلِ
In a season not her own as her days went
And time is fickle in its rounds
فَكَأَنَّها كانَت قَدِ اِنفَرَدَت
عَن جِنسِها تَمشي عَلى مَهَلِ
As if she was alone, apart
From her kind, walking slowly
لَم أَحظَ مِنها وَهيَ حاضِرَةٌ
عِندي بِغَيرِ الشَمِّ وَالقُبَلِ
I got from her, while she was present
Nothing but scent and kisses
فَعَرَفتُ عَرفَكَ مِن رَوائِحِها
وَفَهِمتُ مِنها حُسنَ رَأيِكَ لي
So I knew your scent from her fragrance
And understood from her your good taste for me
كَم مِن يَدٍ لَكَ لَستُ أُنكِرُها
مَشكورَةٍ أَمثالُها قِبَلي
How many gifts you have for me I won't deny
Thanked the likes of which before me
عَذراءَ يَضعُفُ عَن تَحَمُّلِها
شُكري كَما يَقوى بِها أَمَلي
A maiden whose appreciation outpaces
My thanks as she bolsters my hopes
أَذكَرتَني عَصرَ الشَبابِ بِها
وَمَواسِمَ الأَفراحِ وَالجَذَلِ
You reminded me of youth's morn with her
And seasons of joy and coquetry
أَيّامَ لا أُرعي لِعاذِلَةٍ
سَمعي وَلا أُصغي إِلى العَذَلِ
Days when I heed no reproachers
Nor listen to blame
فَاليَومَ عودُ الدَهرِ مُحتَطَبٌ
ذاوٍ وَشَمسُ العُمرِ في الطَفَلِ
So today the wheel of fate is firewood
Lost, and the sun of life in its sunset
لَم يَبقَ لي في لَذَّةٍ أَرَبٌ
أَنا مِن زِحامِ الهَمِّ في شُغُلِ
No pleasure remains for me in enjoyment
I am busy with crowds and cares
أَبكي عَلى الدُنيا وَبَهجَتِها
وَعَلى اِقتِرابِ مَسافَةِ الأَجَلِ
I cry over this life and its joys
And the nearing of my death's distance
فَاِسحَب ذُيولَ سَعادَةٍ فُضُلا
في ظِلِّ عَيشٍ ناعِمٍ خَضِلِ
So pull the train of happiness my excess
In the shade of a soft, green life
