1. ما كانَ يَومَ وَصَلتِ الصَبَّ أَفتاكِ

    فَمَن بتعذيبهِ بِالصَدِّ أَفتاكِ

    How youthful you were the day you joined the lovesick lover!

    Who, then, gave you leave to torment him through rejection?

  2. يا ظَبيةً ما رَعَت عَهدي وَقَد نَفرت

    ليهنكِ اليَومَ أَنَّ القَلبَ مَرعاكِ

    O gazelle who did not keep my pledge and has taken flight,

    may it gladden you today that the heart is your pasture.

  3. نَأَيتِ داراً وَلَم أَسمَع غِناكِ فَبي

    في الحالَتَينِ صَباباتٌ بمغناكِ

    You dwelt far away, and I did not hear your song; within me,

    in both states, are ardent longings for your abode.

  4. ما زلتُ في الوَصلِ وَالهجرانِ ذا شَجنٍ

    أَرجوكِ في البُعدِ أَو في القُربِ أَخشاكِ

    I have remained sorrowful in union and estrangement;

    I hope for you afar, or fear you near.

  5. أَخفى سِقاماً وَهَذا الوَجهُ مُحتَجِبٌ

    فَالحزنُ وَالحسنُ أَخفاني وَأَخفاكَ

    I conceal an illness, while this face is veiled;

    thus sorrow has hidden me, and beauty has hidden you.

  6. ما تَذكرين نَهارَ الوَصلِ مِنكِ وَإِذ

    لثمتُ خَدَّكِ ما قَد كانَ أَو فاكِ

    Do you not remember the day of union with you, and when

    I kissed your cheek—or your mouth, whichever it was?

  7. سَرَيتِ عَنّي وَقَلبي قَد أَسَرتِ فَما

    أَسعاكِ في غَيظِ قَتلاكِ وَأَسراكِ

    You traveled away from me by night, having captured my heart—how

    eagerly you strive to vex those you have slain and taken captive!

  8. قالَت قَصَدتُ بِتِرحالي سِواكَ فَما

    قَصَدتَ قلتُ لَها إِيّاكِ إِيّاكِ

    She said, "In departing, I sought someone other than you; what

    did you seek?" I told her, "You! You!"

  9. كَرُمتِ أَصلاً وَما واصلتِ ذا شجنٍ

    حاشاكِ أَن تُنسَبي لِلبُخلِ حاشاكِ

    You are noble by descent, yet grant no union to a sorrowing lover;

    far be it from you to be deemed miserly—far be it!

  10. ما لِلجُفونِ وَللأسقامِ تسكنها

    لَعَلَّ جِسمي بِهَذا السقمِ هاداكِ

    What is it with the eyelids and the ailments dwelling in them?

    Perhaps my body exchanged gifts with you through this sickness.

  11. أَهدى لَك السُقم جِسمي لاِقترابِكِ من

    صَحابةِ اللومِ أَعدائي وَأَعداكِ

    My body gave you sickness because you drew near to

    the companions of blame, my enemies and yours.

  12. وَعاذلايَ شَفاكِ اللَهُ من سقمٍ

    قَد ولَّيا عنكِ من جَهلٍ وَعافاكِ

    And my two reproachers—may God cure you of sickness—

    have turned away from you in ignorance; may He grant you health.

  13. دَعي العِتابَ وَهاتي كأسَ فيكِ فَما

    في ذا الحَديثِ رَعاكِ اللَهُ أَوهاكِ

    Leave reproach, and bring the cup of your mouth; how

    frail you are in such talk—may God protect you!

  14. ما أَعذبَ الراحَ أَجلوها بفيكِ وَما

    أَحلى لِقاكِ بإصباحٍ وَأَحلاكِ

    How sweet the wine I unveil with your mouth, and how

    sweet to meet you at daybreak—and how sweet you are!

  15. رحلتِ عَنّي بِقَلبٍ كانَ مَسكنكُم

    هَلّا قرنتِ بِقَلبي جسمي الشاكي

    You departed from me with a heart that had been your dwelling;

    why did you not join my ailing body to my heart?

  16. وَخانَ صَبريَ مُذ أَبصَرتُ ربعَكُمُ

    فَما وَفى لي إِلّا طَرفيَ الباكي

    And my patience betrayed me since I saw your abode;

    none remained faithful to me but my weeping eye.

  17. وَبُعدُ ما بَينَ أَحشائي وَراحَتِها

    كبعدِ ما بَينَ أَجفاني وَرؤياكِ

    And the distance between my inward parts and their repose

    is like the distance between my eyelids and a vision of you.

  18. حَكى لَنا البَحرُ أَخباراً لِنائِلِهِ

    وَالفَضلُ في ذاكَ للمحكيِّ لا الحاكي

    The sea told us tales of his bounty,

    and the merit there belongs to the one described, not the teller.

  19. سطورُهُ وَمعانيهِ مُنَظَّمةٌ

    كَأَنَّها دُرَرٌ ما بَينَ أَسلاكِ

    His lines and meanings are well ordered,

    as though they were pearls strung between threads.

  20. وَمِنكِ روحي تَبدّت يا بديهتَهُ

    رويَّةً بِالحميّا من محيّاكِ

    And through you my soul appeared, O his spontaneous inspiration,

    quenched by the heady wine from your face.

  21. سَقى وَحيّاكِ رَبّي بِالحَيا كرماً

    ما أَوقحَ الحاسِدَ المضنى وَأَحياكِ

    May my Lord water and greet you with rain, in His bounty.

    How shameless the stricken envier, and how bashful you!

  22. أَدرَكتِ ما قَد خَفى عَنّا وَطبتِ شَذاً

    لِلَّهِ ماذا عَلى الحالينِ أَذكاكِ

    You perceived what had been hidden from us, and your fragrance grew sweet;

    God be praised—how keen you are in both respects!

  23. يا فكرتي هوَ يُملي وَصفَهُ فَإِذا

    مَدَحتِ جازي بأَموالٍ وَأَملاكِ

    O my thought, he dictates his description; and when

    you praise him, he rewards you with wealth and estates.

  24. إِن أُوقدت فيكِ نارٌ للذكاء يكن

    بِمَدحِهِ في جنانِ الخُلدِ مأواكِ

    If a fire of brilliance is kindled within you, there will be

    a home for you, through praising him, in the gardens of eternity.

  25. يرويك جوداً وَتَروي أَنتِ مدحته

    ففضلُهُ في كلا الحالَينِ روّاكِ

    He quenches you with bounty, while you recount his praise;

    thus his bounty, in both cases, has quenched you.

  26. يا مَن يُشَبّهُهُ بِالغَيثِ مِن كَرَمٍ

    مَن ذا الَّذي شَبَّهَ البسّامَ بِالباكي

    O you who liken him to rain for his generosity,

    who has likened the ever-smiling one to the weeper?