ضاقَ الغَداةَ بِحاجَتي صَدري

وَيَئِستُ بَعدَ تَقارُبٍ الأَمرِ

My chest was straitened at dawn by my need

And I despaired after coming close to the matter

وَذَكَرتُ فاطِمَةَ الَّتي عُلِّقتُ

عَرَضاً فَيا لَحَوادِثِ الدَهرِ

And I remembered Fatima to whom I was attached

So oh the calamities of fate

مَمكورَةٌ رَدعُ العَبيرِ بِها

جَمُّ العِظامِ لَطيفَةُ الخَصرِ

She has a supple body that restrains fragrance

With delicate bones and a slender waist

وَكَأَنَّ فاهاً عِندَ رَقَدَتِها

تَجري عَلَيهِ سُلافَةُ الخَمرِ

It's as if her mouth when she sleeps

Has wine flowing over it

شَرِقاً بِذَوبِ الشَهدِ يَخلِطُهُ

بِالزَنجَبيلِ وَفَأرَةِ التَجرِ

In the morning mixing melted honey

With ginger and quince syrup

عَرَضَت لَنا بِالخَيفِ في بَقَرٍ

تَقرو الكَباثَ وَناضِرَ السَدرِ

She appeared to us in the afternoon at Bagrah

Where the wild cows graze and the lotus trees bloom

وَجَلَت أَسيلاً يَومَ ذي خُشُبٍ

رَيّانَ مِثلَ فُجاءَةِ البَدرِ

She came flowing like the full moon

On a day of wooden camels

فَسَبَت فُؤادي إِذ عَرَضتُ لَها

يَومَ الرَحيلِ بِساحَةِ القَصرِ

So she captivated my heart when I bid her farewell

At the courtyard of the palace

بِمُزَيَّنٍ رَدعُ العَبيرِ بِهِ

حَسَنِ التَرائِبِ واضِحِ النَحرِ

Adorned, restraining fragrance

Of beautiful garments and prominent neck

وَبَعَينِ آدَمَ شادِنٍ خَرِقٍ

يَرعى الرِياضَ بِبَلدَةٍ قَفرِ

And with restless dark eyes

Grazing the meadows in a barren land

لَمّا رَأَيتُ مَطِيَّها حِزَقاً

خَفَقَ الفُؤادُ وَكُنتُ ذا صَبرِ

When I saw her swift steed

My heart fluttered though I was patient

وَتَبادَرَت عَينايَ بَعدَهُمُ

فَاِنهَلَّتا جَزَعاً عَلى الصَدرِ

And after they left, my eyes

Poured down in anguish on my chest

أَرِقَ الحَبيبُ إِلى الحَبيبِ لَوَ أَنَّ

عَذَرَت بِذَلِكَ أَوَّلَ العُذرِ

A lover travels to his lover if only

That excuses the first separation

وَلَقَد عَصَيتُ ذَوي قَرابَتِنا

طُرّاً وَأَهلَ الوُدِّ وَالصَهرِ

I have indeed disobeyed our relatives

And the people of love and in-laws

حَتّى مَقالِهِمُ إِذا اِجتَمَعوا

أَجُنِنتَ أَم ذا داخِلُ السِحرِ

Until their talk when they gather

Are you crazy or spellbound?

فَأَجَبتُ مَهلاً بَعضَ عَذلِكُمُ

لا بَل مُنيتُ وَلَم أَنَل وِتري

So I answered gently, some of your blame

No, but I have been fated, and did not attain my desire

بِيَدَي ضَعيفِ البَطشِ مُعتَجِرِ

فَرَمى وَلَم آخُذ لَهُ حِذري

At the hands of one weak in might, watchful

So he threw, and I did not take heed