1. أَقول لِفاتنٍ طالَ اِفتِتاني

    بِطَلعته وَأَعجبه اِفتِناني

    I say to a charmer who has long held me spellbound

    with his countenance, and whom my artistry has delighted.

  2. وَسُرَّ بِبُعده عَني رَقيبٌ

    سَفيهٌ لَيسَ يَرغَب في التَداني

    And a watcher rejoiced at his keeping far from me—

    a fool who has no wish for closeness.

  3. وَعلّمه التجني وَالتَجافي

    فَأَصبَح جاهِلاً في الحُب شاني

    And he taught him to wrong me and keep his distance,

    so, ignorant of love, he became hostile to me.

  4. وَكَم مِن مَوعد أَمّلتُ مِنهُ

    فَلَم يَسمَح بِتَبليغ الأَماني

    And how many a meeting I hoped for from him,

    yet he would not let my wishes be fulfilled.

  5. وَبالغ في الجَفا وَالهجر لَما

    بِسَهمِ لحاظِ مُقلته رَماني

    And he went to extremes in coldness and desertion when

    he shot me with the arrow of his eye's gaze.

  6. وَتاه عَلى الملاح بِوَردِ خَدٍّ

    وَقَدٍّ لا يُقاس بِغُصن بان

    And he vaunted himself above the beauties with his cheek's rose

    and a figure no branch of the bān tree could match.

  7. وَأَصمى مُهجة المَفتون ظلماً

    بِعادل قامةٍ كَالخيزران

    And he unjustly slew the enthralled lover's heart

    with an upright stature like bamboo.

  8. أَأَطمَع مِنكَ في وَعد بوصلٍ

    وَدينُك مطلُ صبٍّ غَير جاني

    Can I hope for a promise of union from you,

    when your creed is to put off a blameless lover?

  9. أَما وَهَواك مالي عَنكَ صَبرٌ

    وَكَيفَ الصَبرُ عَنكَ أَو التَواني

    Indeed, by my love for you, I cannot endure your absence;

    and how could I bear being without you, or falter?

  10. فَتِه وَاهجر وصُدَّ فَلَستُ أَسلو

    وَلَو جرّعتَني كَأس الهَوان

    So be haughty, desert me, and turn away: I will not cease loving,

    even if you make me drink the cup of humiliation.

  11. وَلَكن لا تمل عَني لِغَيري

    فَغَيري لِلصَبابة لا يُعاني

    But do not turn from me to another,

    for no one else suffers for passionate love.

  12. وَما لي في غَرامي مِن شَريك

    وَما لك يا رَشا في الحُسن ثاني

    And I have no partner in my passion,

    nor have you an equal in beauty, O young gazelle.

  13. وَما لي ما ينفّس بَعضَ كَربي

    سِوى دَمع كَلَون الأرجوان

    And I have nothing to ease some of my anguish

    save tears the color of crimson.

  14. وَقَد جرّبتني فَرَأَيت مِني

    لَبيباً فيكَ قَد أَلف المَعاني

    And you have tested me and found in me

    a discerning man who has come to know your subtleties.

  15. فَهَل مِن زَورة في جنح لَيل

    تَسُرُّ بِسَعد طالَعها جِناني

    Might there be a visit in the depths of night

    whose auspicious rising would gladden my heart?

  16. وَهَل مِن لَحظة فيها عذولي

    يَمَوتُ بِغَيظه وَقتَ التَهاني

    And might there be a moment when my reproacher

    dies of rage at the hour of congratulations?

  17. هُنالك لا أَقول مَضى شَبابي

    هَباء في التَولُّع بِالحسان

    Then I shall not say my youth has passed

    in vain, in infatuation with the beautiful.

  18. وَأُوقف في سَبيل اللَهو قَلبي

    عَليكَ أَطاع أَمري أَو عَصاني

    And in the cause of pleasure I dedicate my heart

    to you, whether it obeys my command or defies me.

  19. فَكُفَّ الآن عَن هَذا التَجافي

    فَلستَ مِن الحَوادث في أَمان

    So cease this aloofness now,

    for you are not safe from misfortunes.

  20. وَها أَنا قَد نَصَحتك فَاتخذني

    خَليلاً وَاقتصر عَن كُل شاني

    And behold, I have counseled you; so take me

    as an intimate friend, and shun every hater.

  21. فَما غَيري يَدُوم عَلى غَرام

    وَكُلُّ الحُسن يا مَياس فاني

    For no one but me remains constant in love,

    and all beauty, O graceful swaying one, is fleeting.