بخديه حياتي وآس عذاره

وبات يعاطيني كؤوس عذاره

My life lies in his cheeks and the myrtle of his cheek-down.

And all night he offered me cups of his cheek-down.

هلال جلا شمسا اشعة صبحها

تحل عرى جيب الدجا عن نهاره

A crescent unveiled a sun, whose morning rays

Undo the ties of darkness's collar, revealing his daylight.

وفي كعبة اللذات طاف بكأسه

فلبّاه قلبي بعد رمي جماره

And in the Kaaba of delights he circled with his cup.

So my heart answered his call after casting his pebbles.

من الغيد الا ان اسد عرينها

تخاف وتخشى في الهوى من نفاره

He is one of the graceful beauties, yet the lions of their lair

Fear and dread his turning away in love.

بسمر القنا والبيض اضحى محجبا

ارى الموت والاهوال دون مزاره

He has become screened by dusky lances and gleaming swords.

I see death and terrors barring the way to his shrine.

تعلمت نظم الدر من نظم ثغره

والفت شعري من بديع ابتكاره

I learned to string pearls from the arrangement of his teeth.

And I composed my verse from his wondrous originality.

ويعجبني من شعره مستطيله

ومن خصره في الحسن معنى اختصاره

What delights me in his hair is its length,

And in his waist's beauty, the meaning of its brevity.

تماثل جسمي في السقام وخصره

وشاكل قلبي جفنه بانكساره

My body and his waist were alike in wasting sickness.

And my heart matched his eyelid in its brokenness.

يمينا به لا ملت عنه لسلوة

ولا في الغرام اخترت غير اختياره

I swear by him: I have not turned from him for solace,

Nor in love have I chosen anything but his choice.