مَن عَذِيري من شادنٍ لم أُطِقْ عن

مَن عَذِيري من شادنٍ لم أُطِقْ عن

هُ مَعَ النُّسكِ والتّحلِّمِ صَبْرَا

هُ مَعَ النُّسكِ والتّحلِّمِ صَبْرَا

Who will plead my case against a young gazelle? I could not bear separation from

What excuse have I, who cannot bear patience

him, despite piety and practiced forbearance.

With devotion and forbearance as my companions?

أهيْفٍ أنبتَ الجمالُ بفيه ال

أهيْفٍ أنبتَ الجمالُ بفيه ال

عذبِ دُرّاً سقاهُ مِسكاً وخَمرا

عذبِ دُرّاً سقاهُ مِسكاً وخَمرا

Slender-waisted: Beauty planted in his

Passion planted beauty in his charming mouth

sweet mouth pearls, watering them with musk and wine.

That gave sweet nectar to drink and wine.

فأعارَ الغَزالَ عيناً وغصْنَ ال

فأعارَ الغَزالَ عيناً وغصْنَ ال

بانِ لِيناً والأُقْحُوَانَةَ ثَغْرَا

بانِ لِيناً والأُقْحُوَانَةَ ثَغْرَا

So he lent the gazelle an eye, and the bough of the

So he lent the gaze of a fawn and the softness

bān tree suppleness, and the chrysanthemum a mouth.

Of a tender branch, and to the anemone his lips.

أَجتَلِي منهُ في ضُحى اليومِ شمساً

أَجتَلِي منهُ في ضُحى اليومِ شمساً

وأرى منه في دُجى الليلِ بَدْرَا

وأرى منه في دُجى الليلِ بَدْرَا

In the day's morning light, I behold in him a sun,

From him I glimpse at dawn the light of day,

and in the night's darkness I see in him a full moon.

And from him at dusk I espy the moon.

فيهِ أُنسٌ وللملاحَةِ في عي

فيهِ أُنسٌ وللملاحَةِ في عي

نَيهِ مَعنىً تخالُه العينُ ذُعْرَا

نَيهِ مَعنىً تخالُه العينُ ذُعْرَا

In him is warmth, and loveliness has within his

In him is delight, and in his eyes meaning

eyes a quality the eye takes for fright.

For enchantment which the beholder deems magic.

قال لي إذ رأَى غَرامي وصدّي

قال لي إذ رأَى غَرامي وصدّي

أنت تُخفِي وَجداً وتُظهِرُ هَجْرا

أنت تُخفِي وَجداً وتُظهِرُ هَجْرا

He said to me, seeing my passion and my aloofness:

He said when he saw my love and my repulsion:

"You conceal longing and display estrangement.

“You hide your passion yet feign disaffection.”

أنتَ كالصّائِم الذي يَشتهي الما

أنتَ كالصّائِم الذي يَشتهي الما

ءَ لِفرطِ الظَّما ويكرُهُ فِطْرا

ءَ لِفرطِ الظَّما ويكرُهُ فِطْرا

You are like a fasting man who longs for

You are like one fasting who yearns for water

water from overwhelming thirst, yet hates to break his fast."

Due to extreme thirst, yet disdains to break fast.

قُلت دَعْ ذا فأنتَ شَرطي ولكن

قُلت دَعْ ذا فأنتَ شَرطي ولكن

لم يَدعْ لي المشيبُ في الجَهلِ عُذْرَا

لم يَدعْ لي المشيبُ في الجَهلِ عُذْرَا

I said: "Leave that aside, for you are just what I seek, but

I said “Forbear, you are my master,” but

gray hair has left me no excuse for folly."

Grey hairs left no excuse for me in ignorance.