1. أَتَيتُ دَمَنهوراً أَروحُ بِالصَفا

    فُؤاداً دَعاهُ لِلرِفاقِ حَنينِ

    I came to Damanhur to refresh with serenity

    a heart that longing had called to companions.

  2. فَساقَ لِيَ المَقدورُ ظَبياً مُهَفهَفاً

    يَتيهُ بِفَرقٍ لَجَبينِ يَزينِ

    So fate brought me a slender gazelle,

    proud of a hair-parting that adorns his brow.

  3. حَواجِبُهُ تَحكي قَسِيّاً وَتَحتَها

    عُيونٌ عَنِ السِحرِ المُبينِ تَبينِ

    His eyebrows resemble bows, and beneath them

    are eyes that speak of manifest magic.

  4. وَقالَ سَأَكفيكَ العَنا بِنُعاسِها

    وَأُقسِمُ بِالعَينَينِ وَهوَ يَمينِ

    And he said: “I will spare you suffering with their drowsiness,

    and I swear by both eyes—an oath indeed.”

  5. فَسَلَّمتُهُ قَلبي أَمانَةَ مُسلِمٍ

    وَمالي لا أَخشاهُ وَهوَ أَمينِ

    So I entrusted him with my heart, a Muslim’s trust,

    and my wealth; I do not fear him, for he is trustworthy.

  6. فَسالِمني وُدّاً وَلَكِن لَحظَةً

    عَلى رُغمِ ذاكَ السِلمِ صارَ يَخونِ

    So he made peace with me affectionately—but only for a moment;

    despite that peace, he began to betray.

  7. وَما كانَ مِنهُ الظُلمُ حاشا كَمالُهُ

    وَما الظُلمُ إِلّا في الجُفونِ كَمينِ

    And no wrong came from him—far be it from his perfection!

    And wrong lies in ambush only within the eyelids.

  8. وَلَو أَنَّهُ دَوايَ جِراحي بِوَصلِهِ

    لَراحَ عَناءً في الهَوى وَأَنينِ

    And had he healed my wounds through union with him,

    the suffering and moaning of love would have passed.