أَقِلِّ المَلامَ يا عَتيقُ فَإِنَّني
بِهِندٍ طَوالَ الدَهرِ حَرّانُ هائِمُ
Reproach me little, O Atiq, for I
Am restless, wandering for a beauty eternally.
فَقَضَّ مَلامي وَاِطلُبِ الطِبَّ إِنَّني
أُسِرُّ جَوىً مِن حُبِّها فَهوَ رازِمُ
Desist from blaming me, and seek remedy, for I
Conceal an ardor for her love binding me.
فَقالَ عَلَيكَ اليَومَ أَسماءَ إِنَّها
أَطَبُّ بِهَذا وَالمُباطِنُ عالِمُ
He said: "For you today are charms, she
Is most pleasing thus, though hearts know the hidden."
فَقُلتُ لِأَسماءَ اِشتِكاءً وَأَخضَلَت
مَسارِبَ عَينَيَّ الدُموعُ السَواجِمُ
So to Asma I complained, and tears streamed
Down my eyes in torrents raging.
أَبيني لَنا كَيفَ السَبيلُ إِلى الَّتي
نَأَت غَربَةٌ عَنّا بِها ما تُلائِمُ
Show us, I asked, the way to her
Who came from afar, no match for her found.
فَقالَت وَهَزَّت رَأسَها لَو أَطَعتَنا
تَجَنَّبتَها أَيّامَ قَلبُكَ سالِمُ
She said, shaking her head: "Had you obeyed us
You'd have avoided her in days your heart was safe."
وَلَكِن دَعَت لِلحَينِ عَينٌ مَريضَةٌ
فَطاوَعتَها عَمداً كَأَنَّكَ حالِمُ
"But a sick eye called out for the moment-
You indulged it intentionally, as if dreaming."
وَكُنتَ تَبوعاً لِلهَوى مُصحِباً لَهُ
إِذا أَعجَبَتكَ الآنِساتُ النَواعِمُ
"And you were passion's pursuer, accompanying it
When beauties pleased you, soft and delicate."
تُكَلِّفُ أَفراسَ الصِبا تَعَباً لَهُ
وَلَستَ تُبالي أَن تَلومَ اللَوائِمُ
"You tasked the steeds of youth, tiring them out for it,
And cared not for blamers' rebukes."
وَوَكَّلتَ أَفراسَ الصِبا بِطِلابِها
زَماناً فَقَد هانَت عَلَيكَ المَلاوِمُ
"You charged the steeds of youth with seeking her
For so long, that companions meant nothing to you."
وَعُلِّقتَها أَيّامَ قَلبُكَ موثَقٌ
لَدَيها فَدَعها الآنَ إِذ أَنتَ سالِمُ
"You tied your heart to her when it was pledged to her.
Leave her now, for you are healed."
فَقُلتُ لَها أَنّي سَلِمتُ وَحُبُّها
جَوىً لِبَناتِ القَلبِ يا أَسمَ لازِمُ
I said: "I am healed, yet her love's
A yearning in my heart's core, O Asma, clinging."
وَأَنّى سُلُوُّ القَلبِ عَنها وَقَد سَبا
فُؤادِيَ مِنها ذو غَدائِرَ فاحِمُ
"How can my heart forget her, when she has raided
My soul, her twisted locks fiercely burning?"
وَجيدُ غَزالٍ فائِقُ الدُرِّ حَليُهُ
وَرَخصٌ لَطيفٌ واضِحُ اللَونِ ناعِمُ
"Her gazelle's neck exudes excellent pearls,
Her figure slight and softly colored, smooth."
