Claude 2

  1. مَن أَنتِ يا بِنتَ الأُلى وَجدوكِ

    في رَوضَةِ الدُنيا بِغَير شَريكِ

    Who are you, daughter of the exalted, whom they found

    In the garden of life without a partner?

  2. أَنتِ اِبنَةُ الشَرقِ المُكَلَّلِ رَأسه

    بورودِ أُمكِ أَو سُيوفِ أَبيكِ

    You are the daughter of the crowned East, its head

    Crowned with your mother's roses or your father's swords.

  3. تَدعين قَيثاري وَقد حَطَّمتِهِ

    لِيُحَرِّكَ الأَوتارَ في ناديكِ

    You claim a qithara but you have smashed it

    So that the strings would move in your club.

  4. يا زَهرَةَ الشَرقِ المضمَّخِ عُرفُها

    يَلهو النَسيمُ بخصرِك المَفكوكِ

    O flower of the perfumed East, its aroma

    Playing with your loose waist.

  5. وَالبُلبُلُ الغَريدُ يَسكُبُ لحنَه

    في كُمِّكِ المَفتوحِ لِلساقيكِ

    And the singing nightingale pours out his melody

    In your open sleeve for your cupbearer.

  6. الشِعرُ في أَلحاظِ عَينِك نائِمٌ

    وَإِذا وَدَدتِ يُفيقُ بِالتَحريكِ

    Poetry in the glances of your eyes is sleeping

    And awakens when you want with a wink.

  7. لكِن إِذا ما شاءَ لَحظُك أَن يُرى

    في الشعرِ أَجمَلَ مَنظَرٍ يسبيكِ

    But if your glance wishes to be seen

    In poetry, the most beautiful spectacle captivates you.

  8. فَتَأَمَّلي في الحَوضِ حسنَكِ مُشرِقاً

    فَبَدائِع الأَشعارِ لا تحكيكِ

    So observe in the fountain your radiant beauty—

    The masterpieces of poetry do not describe you!

  9. قَد أَفرَغَ البَدرُ المُنيرُ ضِياءُه

    في خَيمَةِ الزَهر الَّتي تَأويكِ

    The shining full moon has poured out its brightness

    In the tent of flowers that houses you.

  10. وَإِلى الوسادِ مُذ اِستَنَدتِ لِراحَةٍ

    بِالنارِجيلَةِ كلُّهم جاؤوكِ

    And since you reclined on the pillow to rest

    With the nargileh, they all came to you.

  11. أَدَنت يداك مِن اللمى نربيجها

    متبطِّناً بِالزَنبَقِ المَحبوكِ

    You brought your hands near the burning coals to light it

    Lined on the inside with plaited marjoram.

  12. لَمّا نشقتِ أَريجَها بِتَدَلّلٍ

    خفَقت عواطِف صَدرِها المنوك

    When you opened it flirtatiously

    The emotions of its passionate heart fluttered.

  13. إِنّي اِستعدتُ لَدُن رَأَيتُكِ صَبوَتي

    فَوَجدتها أَشهى وَأَعذَبَ فيكِ

    I had regained my youth whenever I saw you, my love,

    And found it more delicious and sweet in you.

  14. لكِن شَبابي وَالغَرامُ تَلاشيا

    فَهُما كَنَفخَةِ دُخنةٍ من فيكِ

    But my youth and passion have withered

    So they are like a puff of smoke from your mouth.

  15. لَم أَنسَ يومَ عَلَوتِ متنَ مطهَّمٍ

    وَكبحتِهِ بَين يَدَيكِ كَالصعلوكِ

    I cannot forget the day you rode a led horse

    And reined it in front of you like a lively colt.

  16. وَأَشِعَّةً من بَدرِ لَيلكِ نَوَّرَت

    ياقوتَ خنجَرِ خصرِكِ المشكوكِ

    And rays from the moon of your night illuminated

    The ruby of the dagger of your slender waist.

  17. إِنّي قَطعتُ مِن الحَياةِ وُرودَها

    وَرَمَيتُها في الشاطىء المَتروكِ

    I have plucked the roses of life

    And tossed them on the deserted shore.

  18. فَأَتَت غضابُ البَحر تَجرِفُها إِلى

    اللجج العَميقَةِ بِالرِياحِ النوكِ

    Then the angry sea came and swept them

    To the deep eddies with the darting winds.

  19. كانَت ورودُ الصَدرِ تَنفَح مُهجَتي

    بِأَريجِ حبٍّ باسِمٍ وَضَحوكِ

    The roses of my heart would breathe their fragrance on my love,

    With the aroma of pure love and laughter.

  20. كَم كُنتُ أَنشدتُ القَريضَ مسلسَلاً

    لَو كانَ في العِشرينَ عمر أَخيكِ

    How much poetry I would chant in verses

    If your age were twenty, my brother!

  21. لِعبارَةٍ أَو نَظرَةٍ من أَجلِها

    عَبدَ الرجالُ الطهرَ مُذ عَبَدوكِ

    For a phrase or glance for which

    Men have worshipped chastity since they worshipped you.