بِنفسي قريبُ الدارِ والهجرُ دُونَه

وبُعدُ التَّقَالي غيرُ بُعدِ السَباسِبِ

With my soul near his home yet estranged from him,

While the distance of separation differs from that between stars.

أَراهُ مكانَ الشّمسِ بُعداً وبينَنا

كما بينَ عينٍ في التّداني وحاجِبِ

I see him as far as the sun, though between us

Is as between an eye engaged in friendly gazing and an eyelid.

وهل نَافِعي قربٌ ومِن دُون قلبِه

نَوىً قُذُفٌ أَعيَت ظُهورَ الرَكائِبِ

Of what use is nearness while his heart intends

To roam? Ships wearied by ceaseless launching.

تجنَّى لِيَ الذي ما جَنَيتُه

ولا هُو مغفورٌ بِعذرَةٍ تائِبِ

He shunned the blame that I never sought from him,

Nor can he be pardoned with an apology or repentance.

وَمَلَّ فلو أهدى إليّ خيَالَه

بَدا لِيَ مَنهُ في الكَرى وجهُ عاتِبِ

He refused, else had he sent me his image,

It would have seemed reproachful to me however.

وضَنَّ فلو أنّ النسيمَ يُطيعُه

لجنَّبَني بَرْدَ الصَّبا والجنائبِ

He disdained, else had the breeze obeyed him,

It would have spared me the cold north wind and squalls.

إذَا رجَعَتْ باليأسِ مِنهُ مَطامِعي

علِقتُ بأذيال الظُّنونِ الكَواذِبِ

When hopes of him have gone with despair,

I cling to the hems of lying rumors.

وأعجبُ ما خُبِّرتُه من صَبابتي

بِه والَهوى ما زالَ جَمَّ العَجائِبِ

Most wondrous is what I have been told of my passion for him,

While desire remains perfect in all its strangeness.

حَنيني إلى مَن خِلبُ قَلبيَ دارُهُ

وشَوقي إلى مَن لَيس عنّي بغائبِ

My yearning is for him whose home has stolen my heart,

My longing is for him who is not absent from me.