معسجد الخدود وردي الوجن

باهي الجمال

Gilded of cheek, rosy of cheekbones,

radiant in beauty.

مهفهف القدّ أملد اللدن

بالاعتدال

Slender of figure, soft and supple,

in balanced proportion.

قد جاوز الحدّ بحسنه الحسن

وبالكمال

He has surpassed all bounds in his lovely beauty,

and in perfection.

فتان أغيد بحبه فتنى

وبه نكالي

Beguiling and graceful, he has bewitched me with his love,

and in him lies my torment.

عذب اللما الحالي حبه حلالي

بلبل هو بالي فصار بالي

Sweet of dark lips, charming—love of him is lawful to me.

He troubled my mind, and it became worn out.

وضاق منه حالي فما احتيالي

وطول الصدّ لم يساعدني

My plight grew straitened through him—what is my recourse?

And prolonged rejection has not helped me

على الوصال

فصرت معمد ومسقم البدن

to attain union.

So I became stricken and sick in body,

مثل الخلالي

يا كعبة الحسن والجمال ذرى

like a toothpick.

O Kaaba of loveliness and beauty, cast off

عنك التنائي

فالحال بالبعد ليس حالي صلى

your aloofness.

For life apart is not sweet; join me,

دعي جفائي

عناي قد طال بالمطال ولي

give up shunning me.

My suffering has lengthened through delay, yet I have

حسن الرجاء

فيكم إذا زان فيكم ظني

good hope

in you, when my thoughts of you are fair,

فلا أبالي

بعاذل يعذلني وإن عذلني

so I do not care

about a reproacher who blames me, even if he blames me.

هواكم أشغلني عمن شغلني

والكلّ قد هجرني فيمن هجرني

Love for you has distracted me from whoever occupied me.

And all have forsaken me, along with those who forsook me.

ولا أبالي بحد إذا نسبني

إلى الموالي

And I care nothing for anyone, if he links me

to the masters.

سعدي إذا أسعد ومن سعدني

على التوالي

My joy comes when I prosper, and from whoever gladdens me,

time after time.

ليلى بليلي منور الأفق

كما نهاري

Layla lights the horizon in my night,

just as in my day.

ونلت نيلا بها على وفق

باختياري

And through her I attained a boon, in accord

with my choice.

سحبت ذيلاتها ولم أفق

من الخماري

I trailed her hems and did not recover

from the wine's lingering stupor.

بكلّ مشهد وهو يشاهدني

نور الجلال

In every scene, as it beholds me—

the light of majesty.

ذا غاية المطامع كم فيه طامع

هذا الجمال الساطع للخير جامع

This is desire's utmost goal—how many yearn for it!

This radiant beauty encompasses all goodness.

فكم به من خاشع ساجد وراكع

قد كاد أو قد يزول به شجني

So many through it are reverent, prostrating and bowing!

My sorrow has nearly vanished—or may vanish through it,

بالاتصالي

هواه سرمد فلم يفارقني

through my union.

Love for him is everlasting; it has not left me

طول الليالي

through all the nights.