إن هامَ قلبي بهذا الشَّادنِ الشَّادي

إن هامَ قلبي بهذا الشَّادنِ الشَّادي

فلا تَلُمني فهذا عينُ إرشادي

فلا تَلُمني فهذا عينُ إرشادي

If my heart is enraptured by this singing fawn,

My heart is infatuated with this graceful beloved,

then do not blame me, for this is the very essence of my guidance.

So do not blame me, for this is my guide to righteousness.

رَنا بطرفٍ مريضِ الجَفنِ مُنكسرٍ

رَنا بطرفٍ مريضِ الجَفنِ مُنكسرٍ

فمن رأى جُؤذُرا يلهو بآساد

فمن رأى جُؤذُرا يلهو بآساد

He gazed with a languid-lidded, downcast eye;

He glanced at me with eyes, sick and tearful,

who, then, has seen a wild-ox calf toy with lions?

So who would see a gazelle playing with lions?

جَفنٌ رَوى عنه ما يرويه من سَقمٍ

جَفنٌ رَوى عنه ما يرويه من سَقمٍ

جسمي فصحَّ بهِ نَقلي وإسنادي

جسمي فصحَّ بهِ نَقلي وإسنادي

An eyelid whose tale of sickness is transmitted by

An eyelid that showed the sickness that afflicts my body,

my body; through it my report and chain of transmission prove sound.

So it was clarified by my words and composition.

في ثغرهِ والقَوامِ اللَّدنِ ألفُ غنىً

في ثغرهِ والقَوامِ اللَّدنِ ألفُ غنىً

عن أبرقِ الجزعِ بل عن بانة الوادي

عن أبرقِ الجزعِ بل عن بانة الوادي

His mouth and supple stature suffice a thousand times over,

In his mouth and tender stature I find abundant melody,

in place of Abraq al-Jizʿ—nay, the valley's bān tree.

Beyond the lightning of sadness, even beyond the valleys of separation.

سُبحانَ مُطلعِ بدرِ التَّمِّ منهُ على

سُبحانَ مُطلعِ بدرِ التَّمِّ منهُ على

غُصنِ رطيبٍ منَ الأغصانِ ميادِ

غُصنِ رطيبٍ منَ الأغصانِ ميادِ

Glory to Him who makes the full moon rise from him upon

Glory to the riser of the full moon of perfection,

a tender, swaying bough among the boughs.

From it, a moist branch among the branches sways.

سَكرتُ من نشوةٍ في مُقلتيهِ صَحا

سَكرتُ من نشوةٍ في مُقلتيهِ صَحا

منها وزادَ ضلالي وجهُه الهادي

منها وزادَ ضلالي وجهُه الهادي

I grew drunk on the rapture in his eyes; sobering

I became drunk on an intoxication in his glances,

from it, his guiding face led me further astray.

Through it, my misguidance increased, and his face guided me.

يزدادُ قلبي بثغر منهُ مبتسم

يزدادُ قلبي بثغر منهُ مبتسم

رَّياً وإنِّي إلى تقبيلهِ صادي

رَّياً وإنِّي إلى تقبيلهِ صادي

At his smiling mouth, my heart grows ever more

My heart increases with a smile from him,

quenched, yet I thirst to kiss it.

Becoming moist, and I am intent on kissing him.

ما ضرَّني ما أُقاسي فيه من سَقَمٍ

ما ضرَّني ما أُقاسي فيه من سَقَمٍ

ومن ضنىً لو غدا من بعضِ عُوَّادي

ومن ضنىً لو غدا من بعضِ عُوَّادي

The sickness I endure for him would do me no harm,

The sickness and disdain I suffer does not harm me,

nor the wasting, if he became one of my visitors in illness.

Even if it comes from some of my beloved friends.

يا نظرةً بعدَ عزِّي قد ذَللتُ بها

يا نظرةً بعدَ عزِّي قد ذَللتُ بها

حتَّى غدوتُ أسيراً ليسَ لي فادي

حتَّى غدوتُ أسيراً ليسَ لي فادي

O glance that humbled me after my former glory,

O glance, after my glory you have humbled me,

until I became a captive with no one to ransom me.

Until I became a captive with no redeemer.

بَدا فغادرَ طرفي من مهابتهِ

بَدا فغادرَ طرفي من مهابتهِ

وحُسنهِ بينَ إصدارٍ وإيرادِ

وحُسنهِ بينَ إصدارٍ وإيرادِ

He appeared and left my gaze, because of his awe-inspiring presence

He appeared and then left, my eyelids terrified by his awe,

and his beauty, between being turned away and drawn in.

And beauty between daring and retreating.

شُغلتُ فيه به عمَّن سِواهُ فَلا

شُغلتُ فيه به عمَّن سِواهُ فَلا

أبكي الدِّيارَ ولا أستوقفُ الحادي

أبكي الدِّيارَ ولا أستوقفُ الحادي

He has absorbed me in himself, away from all others, so I do not

I became preoccupied with him over all others,

weep for the dwellings, nor ask the camel-driver to halt.

No longer crying over homelands, nor pausing for the guide.