أَصبَحَ القَلبُ قَد صَحا وَأَنابا

هَجَرَ اللَهوَ وَالصِبا وَالرَبابا

My heart awoke, now sober and remorseful,

Forsaking vanity, youth, music and revelry,

كُنتُ أَهوى وِصالَها فَتَجَنَّت

ذَنبَ غَيري فَما تَمَلُّ العِتابا

I used to love her company, but she denied me,

The sin of another yet her grievance was never allayed,

فَتَعَزَّيتُ عَن هَواها لِرُشدي

حِنَ لاحَ القَذالُ مِنّي فَشابا

So I overcame my passion for good sense’s sake

When my temples turned white through sorrow's ashen pall,

بَعَثَت لِلوِصالِ نَحوي وَقالَت

إِنَّ لِلَّهِ دَرَّهُ كَيفَ تابا

Then she sent me a message, seeking reunion:

“God’s rule,” she said, “how could one not repent?”

مَن رَسولٌ إِلَيهِ يَعلَمُ حَقّاً

أَجمَعَ اليَومَ هِجرَةً وَاِجتِنابا

Who is the go-between to whom truth is revealed?

Today she shuns me more than ever.

إِن لَمِ أَصرِفهُ لِلَّذي قَد هَوَينا

عَن هَواهُ فَلا أَسَغتُ الشَرابا

Had I not weaned him from the one we loved,

I would not have abandoned wine.

بَعَثَت نَحوَ عاشِقٍ غَيرِ سالٍ

مَع ثَوابٍ فَلا عَدِمتُ ثَوابا

She sent a messenger not to the devoted lover

But one who found reward—and I’ll not leave reward.

بِحَديثٍ فيهِ مَلامٌ لِصَبٍّ

موجَعِ القَلبِ عاشِقٍ فَأَجابا

With words that blamed a passion-maddened man—

A lover whose heartache left him mute.

فَأَتاها لِلحينِ يَعدو سَريعاً

وَعَصى في هَوى الرَبابِ الصَحابا

He came to her straightaway, running,

Disobeying, in his love for song, good company.

كُنتُ أَعصي النَصيحَ فيكِ مِنَ الوَج

دِ وَأَنهى الخَليلَ أَن يَرتابا

I disobeyed good advice about you, I confess,

As my friend warned me not to doubt.

فَاِبتُليتُ الغَداةَ مِنهُ بِشَيءٍ

سَلَّ جِسمي وَعُدتُ شَيئاً عُجابا

So this morning I was visited with something

That shook my being and made me a marvel.