1. نَفسي فِدى موسى وَإِن لَم تُبقِ لي

    أَلحاظُهُ نَفساً بِها أَفديهِ

    My soul be Musa's ransom, though his glances have left me

    no soul with which to ransom him.

  2. يَهدي إِلى دينِ الصُباةِ وَحُسنُهُ

    آيٌّ يُضِلُّ بِهِنَّ مَن يَهديهِ

    He guides to the faith of the lovestruck, and his beauty

    is a set of signs by which he leads astray those he guides.

  3. فَعَلَت فِعالَ عَصا الكَليمِ لِحاظُهُ

    بِمُصَدِّقٍ دَعواهُ لا يَعصيهِ

    His glances worked as did the staff of the one God spoke to,

    upon one who believes his claim and does not disobey him.

  4. تَسعى لِقَلبِ الصَبِّ مِنها حَيَّةٌ

    أَودَت بِهِ لَسعاً فَمَن يَرقيهِ

    A serpent from them slithers toward the lovesick lover's heart;

    it has killed him with its bite—who can heal him with a charm?

  5. وَأَرى قُلوبَ العاشِقينَ تَحَيَّرَت

    مِن تيهِهِ في مِثلِ قَفرِ التيهِ

    And I see the lovers' hearts bewildered

    by his haughtiness, as in the wilderness of al-Tih.

  6. جَدَّ الغَليلُ وَلَو أَرادَ تَفَجَّرَت

    مِثلَ العُيونِ لَنا مَراشِفُ الفيهِ

    The burning thirst grew fierce; had he wished, there would have gushed

    for us, like springs, the lips of his mouth.

  7. شَقَّت ظُبى أَلحاظِهِ بَحرَ الهَوى

    شَقَّ العَصا لِلصَبِّ كَي تُرديهِ

    The blades of his glances parted the sea of passion,

    as the staff did, for the lovesick lover, so they might destroy him.

  8. حَتّى إِذا أَمعَنتُ فيهِ مُغَرِّراً

    أَغرَقنَني مَعَ جُندِ صَبري فيهِ

    Until, when I ventured deep into it, risking myself,

    they drowned me in it, together with the army of my patience.

  9. فَدَعَوتُهُ إِنّي بِحُبِّكَ مُؤمِنٌ

    لَو أَنَّ إيمانَ الشَجي يُنجيهِ

    So I called to him: "Indeed, I am a believer in your love."

    If only the sorrowful lover's faith could save him!