1. خُطِفَت مَحجبَةً فَأَينَ رَشادي

    وَمَضَت مَمنعةً فَكَيفَ فُؤادي

    She was snatched away, veiled—where is my good sense?

    And she departed, unapproachable—how fares my heart?

  2. وَسِرت وَما نَظَرت لِذُلي بَعدَها

    فَكَأَنَّها اِنتَصَرَت إِلى حُسادي

    And she journeyed on, without a glance at my abasement after her departure,

    As though she had sided with those who envy me.

  3. وَغَدَت تَقول لِرَكبِها يَوم النَوى

    أَترى الخَليل يَعيشُ بَعد بَعادي

    And on the day of parting she began to tell her caravan:

    “Do you think Khalil will live after my departure?

  4. إِن عاشَ مَسلوبَ القَرار يَطيبُ لي

    أَبَداً سَماعَ بُكا هِزارِ النادي

    If he lives, bereft of repose, it will please me

    Forever to hear the weeping of the gathering’s nightingale.”

  5. أَنا عائِشٌ يا فِتنَتي بِيَدِ الأَسى

    أَبكي وَأَندبُ فَأِسمَعي تِعدادي

    I live, O my enchantress, in sorrow’s hand;

    I weep and lament; so hear my litany.

  6. مُتَطائرَ الأَفكار مُنسحقَ القِوى

    أَبَداً يَريني العشق هَول طرادِ

    With thoughts scattered and strength crushed,

    Love forever shows me the horror of pursuit.

  7. فَكانَّ عاصِفَة المَحَبة وَالنُهى

    ريح الجُنوبِ يَقُلُّ رَجُلَ جَرادِ

    Thus love’s tempest and my reason are like

    The south wind bearing a swarm of locusts.

  8. يا أَيُّها القَوم الذين تَعَمَدوا

    قتلي وَقَد مَلَكوا الغَداةَ قِيادي

    O people who deliberately sought

    To kill me, and took my reins at daybreak,

  9. لَما ما شَفَقتُم يا كِرام عَلى فَتىً

    عافٍ أَلَستُم مَنهَلَ الوَرّادِ

    Why have you not, noble ones, pitied a youth

    Seeking bounty? Are you not the watering place of those who come to drink?

  10. ظَمأنَّ وَافاكُم فَرُدَّ بِحَرقَةِ النار

    عِندَكم لِرَيّ الصادي

    A thirsty man came to you, but was sent away scorched by the fire

    You have for slaking the thirsty.

  11. أَغرَيتُم بَدري فَهَبَّ مُخاصِماً

    يُعصي مَرادي أَخذاً بِعِنادي

    You incited my full moon, which rose in hostility,

    Defying my desire, intent on opposing me.

  12. ماذا صَنَعتُم قَد أَثَرتُم فِتنَةً

    بَيني وَبَينَكُمُ وَبَينَ فُؤادي

    What have you done? You have stirred up discord

    Between me and you, and between me and my heart.

  13. وَأَبَنتُمُ في الحُبِّ كُلَّ جَديدَةٍ

    وَاللَهِ ما سَمِعتُ بِها أَجدادي

    And you have revealed in love all manner of novelties—

    By God, my forebears never heard of them.

  14. أَغزالَةَ الوادي المُخيم أَهلَها

    بَينَ الخَمائل في ظِلالِ الوادي

    O gazelle of the valley, whose people camp

    Among the thickets in the valley’s shade,

  15. حَرُّ المَصيف لَها دَعاكِ لِتَرتَوي

    وَبِأَضلُعي لِلوَجدِ قَدح زِنادِ

    The summer heat called you there to quench your thirst,

    And within my ribs, yearning strikes sparks from flints.

  16. غضي لِحاظَكِ عَن مَراشَقَةِ الوَرى

    رِفقاً عَلى الأَحشاءِ وَالأَكبادِ

    Restrain your glances from shooting darts at humankind;

    Have mercy on entrails and livers.

  17. تَتَعرَضينَ لِصَيد أَفئِدَةِ المَلا

    هَلا حَذرتِ مَكيدَة الصَيادِ

    You set out to hunt the hearts of the throng;

    Why did you not beware the hunter’s ruse?

  18. أَنا ذَلِكَ الغادي وَراءَكَ في الفَلا

    أَينَ الفَرار مِن الغَرام الغادي

    I am that dawn traveler behind you in the wilderness;

    Where is escape from love that goes forth at dawn?

  19. ماذا مَرادَكِ بِالتَجَنُبِ وَالجَفا

    عَطفاً عَلَيَّ فَأَنتِ أَنتِ مُرادي

    What do you seek through avoidance and coldness?

    Show me tenderness, for you—you are my desire.

  20. لا أَبتَغي غَير الحَديث وَحَبَذا

    إِن جَرَّ لي تَقبيل ذاكَ الهادي

    I seek nothing but conversation—and how delightful

    If it leads me to kiss that neck!