أحسبت غرب العين حين طغى

أحسبت غرب العين حين طغى

دمعاً وحين نزفته فرغا

دمعاً وحين نزفته فرغا

Did you think the eye's torrent, when it overflowed,

When tears overflowed from the corner of my eye

was tears, and would run dry when you drained it?

And when it bled, emptying out,

فكأن برق الثغر ينشئه

فكأن برق الثغر ينشئه

غيثا اغام بمقلتي ورغا

غيثا اغام بمقلتي ورغا

So it is as though the mouth's lightning conjures it

It was as though the flash of my smile was creating

as rain that has clouded my eye and foamed.

A pouring cloud over my eyelashes that sobbed and complained

امشعشع الخدِّ الأسيل ادر

امشعشع الخدِّ الأسيل ادر

بالكاس خداً منك قد بزغا

بالكاس خداً منك قد بزغا

O you whose smooth cheek shines, pass round

O you whose glowing cheek is illuminated, pass along

in the cup a cheek of yours that has dawned.

The cup, a cheek from you has shone

من عندم لم ادر صبغته

من عندم لم ادر صبغته

ام من دم العشاق قد صبغا

ام من دم العشاق قد صبغا

I knew not whether its color came from crimson dye,

I did not know whether its hue

or whether it had been dyed with lovers' blood.

Was from me or from the blood of lovers it was dyed

واغنَّ لم يسرح بغزلته

واغنَّ لم يسرح بغزلته

ناغيته بكناسه فنغا

ناغيته بكناسه فنغا

And a sweetly nasal-voiced one who did not roam with his herd—

And the one who did not let his love poem roam freely

I cooed to him in his covert, so he cooed back.

I lulled his she-camel with my crooning, so it grumbled

قد قادني غزلا ويا عجبا

قد قادني غزلا ويا عجبا

لغزيل قد قاد ليث وغى

لغزيل قد قاد ليث وغى

He has led me, lovestruck—and how I marvel

Love poetry led me, and what a wonder!

at a little gazelle that has led a lion of battle!

For a love poem led a fierce lion and it roared

ومجمجمٍ باللفظ عن خجل

ومجمجمٍ باللفظ عن خجل

فكأن فاه اراكة مضغا

فكأن فاه اراكة مضغا

And one who mumbles his words from shyness,

And tongue-tied from shyness

so it is as though his mouth had chewed an arak twig.

It was as though its mouth was stitched closed

ان لاح ملء الطرف تحسبه

ان لاح ملء الطرف تحسبه

طرفا اغر محجلا رسغا

طرفا اغر محجلا رسغا

If he appears, filling the gaze, you take him for

If the filled gaze appeared, you'd think it

a white-blazed steed, white-socked at the pastern.

A blinking eye, kohl-lined and fast asleep

اودبّ منه الصدغ عقوبه

اودبّ منه الصدغ عقوبه

لسبت فأرقم فرعه لدغا

لسبت فأرقم فرعه لدغا

Or if his temple-lock creeps forth, its scorpion

Or a muscle in the temple twitching, a punishment

stings; the speckled serpent of his hair bites.

For I cursed, so its branch stung me

يا معجما بالنطق عن غرض

يا معجما بالنطق عن غرض

اخرست من هو مخرس البلغا

اخرست من هو مخرس البلغا

O you who deliberately make your speech obscure,

O tongue-tied from the intention

you have silenced one who silences the eloquent!

You made me silent, though you are the most eloquent

غادرتني اثغو بمسبعةٍ

غادرتني اثغو بمسبعةٍ

كالسيف جفَّ لبانة فثغا

كالسيف جفَّ لبانة فثغا

You left me bleating in a haunt of beasts,

You left me grasping with outstretched hand

like a lamb whose milk ran dry, so it bleated.

Like a sword, its scabbard empty, unsheathed

وغزيل بالبان عن له

وغزيل بالبان عن له

معشوشب في روضة فرغا

معشوشب في روضة فرغا

And a little gazelle among the ban trees saw

While the love poem, about the one I love

a grassy patch in a garden, so he cried out.

Is settled in a meadow, empty

فاوضته العتبى وفاوضني

فاوضته العتبى وفاوضني

حتى بفيض دموعهِ نشغا

حتى بفيض دموعهِ نشغا

I spoke with him of reconciliation, and he with me,

I reproached him and he reproached me

until he sobbed in a flood of his tears.

Until with the outpouring of his tears, he gurgled

ما ضرَّ من سبغ الجمال لنا

ما ضرَّ من سبغ الجمال لنا

لو أنه بجميله سبغا

لو أنه بجميله سبغا

What harm would it do one who lavished beauty upon us,

It would not hurt us if beauty was daubed on us

if he were lavish with his kindness too?

If only with his beauty he would daub!

امبلغ العلياء بغيتها

امبلغ العلياء بغيتها

بلغ العلى بعلاك ما بلغا

بلغ العلى بعلاك ما بلغا

O you who bring lofty glory to its goal,

Convey her desire to the exalted ones

glory has reached all its heights through your eminence.

Convey to the Most High your ascent, as high as it ascended

كنَّا قديماً خير آنيةٍ

كنَّا قديماً خير آنيةٍ

فمن الذي بأنائنا ولغا

فمن الذي بأنائنا ولغا

We were once the finest vessels;

We were once the best vessels

who, then, has lapped from our vessel?

So who corrupted our vessels and emptied them?

فكأن دون الناس كلهم

فكأن دون الناس كلهم

بيني وبينك ماردٌ نزغا

بيني وبينك ماردٌ نزغا

So it is as though, out of all people,

It was as though, apart from all people,

a demon has stirred discord between me and you.

There was a jinn between me and you that provoked

ابغي الرضا بالسخط آونة

ابغي الرضا بالسخط آونة

فاراه بالعدوى عليَّ بغا

فاراه بالعدوى عليَّ بغا

At times I seek favor through displeasure,

I want satisfaction with anger for a while

yet I see it, by contagion, turn against me.

For I see him responding to me with aggression

لن يصلحنَّ السيف صيقله

لن يصلحنَّ السيف صيقله

الا ترقرق جوهراً وطغا

الا ترقرق جوهراً وطغا

The sword's polisher will not set it right

The sword will only be fixed by its polishing

unless its steel ripples and overflows.

If its essence trembles and pours out

سأسوس فيه خليقة صبعت

سأسوس فيه خليقة صبعت

والجلد يصلح كلما دبغا

والجلد يصلح كلما دبغا

I shall tame in him a disposition grown unruly;

I will establish in it a nature my fingers have fashioned

and hide improves each time it is tanned.

And the skin improves each time it is tanned