عَجَباً لِأَهيَفَ لا عَدِمتُ وِصالَهُ

عَجَباً لِأَهيَفَ لا عَدِمتُ وِصالَهُ

وَكَذا اِلتِقاطي مِن جَواهِرِ لَفظِهِ

وَكَذا اِلتِقاطي مِن جَواهِرِ لَفظِهِ

How wondrous a slender-waisted beloved—may I never lose union with him,

How strange is the one I never cease to love

nor, likewise, my gleaning from the jewels of his speech.

And so it is with gathering gems from his words

ما إِن أَرى ماءَ الحَياةِ بِثَغرِهِ

ما إِن أَرى ماءَ الحَياةِ بِثَغرِهِ

إِلّا وَشِمت الحَتفَ مِنهُ بِلَحظِهِ

إِلّا وَشِمت الحَتفَ مِنهُ بِلَحظِهِ

I never see the water of life at his lips

No sooner do I see the water of life on his lips

without glimpsing death from him in his glance.

Than I wet my breast with it in a glance