1. وَوَرقاء غَنت فَوقَ أَغصانِها الخُضر

    فَسالَ عَقيق الدَمع في ثغرة النحر

    And a gray dove sang above her green boughs,

    So carnelian tears flowed into the hollow at the throat.

  2. إِذا رجعت في الدَوح بِالمَد وَالقصر

    تذكرت وَالمحزون يرتاح للذكر

    When she trilled among the great trees, lengthening and shortening her notes,

    I remembered, and the sorrowful find solace in remembrance;

  3. وَأَرقني طيف الخَيال الَّذي يَسري

    هوى نجم صَبري حين أَرقني الهَوى

    And the phantom vision that roams by night kept me awake.

    The star of my patience fell when love kept me awake.

  4. فَأَوجست ناراً في الجَوانح وَالشوى

    فَيا مُهجتي ذوبي مِن الحُزن وَالجَوى

    So I sensed a fire within my ribs and limbs.

    So, my heart, melt from grief and burning anguish,

  5. لدرة إِذ شطت بِها غربة النوى

    وَإِذ هِيَ في الظَلماء كَالقَمر البَدر

    For a pearl, when separation's estrangement carried her far away,

    And when, in the darkness, she was like the full moon.

  6. ظَمئت وَمَن يَهواك يَحلو لَهُ الظَما

    إِلى جرعة مِن جَوهر الثَغر وَاللمى

    I thirsted—and thirst is sweet to whoever loves you—

    For a draught from the mouth's jewels and the lips' dusky hue.

  7. مَتى أومض البَرق المُنير مِن الحمى

    ذكرتك وَالأَحشاء مني كَأنما

    Whenever radiant lightning flashed from the sanctuary,

    I remembered you, and my innards seemed

  8. من الكلف الخافي انطوين على جمر

    مضى الصَبر وَالشَوق المُبرح قَد غَدا

    From hidden passion to have folded themselves around live coals.

    Patience has departed, and tormenting longing has set in.

  9. وَأَوردت من حبيك بَحراً مِن الرَدى

    وَلَم أنس وَالحادي بأظعاننا حدا

    And through my love for you, I brought myself to a sea of death.

    Nor have I forgotten, as the camel-driver urged our caravan on with song,

  10. صبيحة جد البين بي عَنك مصعدا

    وَبات لديك القَلب في ربقة الأسر

    The morning separation hurried me away from you into the uplands,

    And my heart spent the night with you in captivity's noose.

  11. أَسير وأطوي في الجَوانح سرها

    وَأحمل في سر الجَوارح حرها

    I journey and fold her secret within my ribs,

    And bear her heat in my limbs' hidden depths.

  12. لَقَد نقم الواشون أَمري وَأَمرها

    وَقالوا نَأَت فاختر لنفسك غيرها

    Indeed, the tale-bearers resented my affair and hers,

    And said, 'She has gone far away; so choose another for yourself.'

  13. فَقُلت دَعوني لا يَهمكم أمري

    هِي الظبية الغَناء وَالقَلب دارها

    So I said, 'Leave me alone; let my affair not trouble you.'

    She is the nasal-voiced gazelle, and the heart is her home,

  14. وَشَمس وَلَكن في الفُؤاد مَدارها

    فَرت درع صَبري حين زادَ نفارها

    And a sun—but her orbit lies within the heart.

    She tore the armor of my patience as her aversion grew.

  15. فَإني وَإِن كانَت بَعيداً مَزارها

    لكالهائم المضنى بِها أبد الدهر

    For I, though her abode is far away,

    Am surely like a lovesick wanderer, worn out by her for all time.

  16. كِلانا محب بالصبابة قد وهي

    شغلت بعشقي مثلما شغلت بِه

    Each of us is a lover, already weakened by passionate longing.

    She was absorbed in love of me, just as I was absorbed in it.

  17. بلينا بتصريف الزَمان أَنا وَهي

    تحب لِقائي مثل ما أَنا أَشتهي

    We were tried by time's vicissitudes, she and I.

    She loves to meet me, just as I desire

  18. زِيارتها لَولا التَنائي مِن الهَجر

    فَيا مَن عَدا في اللَوم وَالعَذل دأبه

    To visit her, were it not for the distance caused by estrangement.

    So, you whose habit has gone too far in blame and reproach,

  19. أتعذل من قَلب الحَبيبة قَلبه

    فَكَيف يَرى نصحاً وَقَد ذابَ لُبه

    Do you reproach one whose heart is the beloved's heart?

    So how can he recognize counsel when his reason has already melted?

  20. وَكَيفَ تعزي النَفس عَمَّن تُحبه

    إِذا هِيَ لَم ترزق عَلى النَأي بِالصَبر

    And how can the soul find consolation away from the one it loves,

    If it has not been granted patience in separation?