1. As though the bananas in their bunches
Have begun to ripen on their trees
١. كأَنَّما المَوْزُ في عَراجِنهِ
وَقَد بَدا يَانِعاً على شَجَرِه
2. Branches of hair on a singing head
Were trimmed after being left spreading
٢. فُروعُ شَعْرٍ بِرَأْسِ غَانِيةٍ
عُقِصْنَ من بَعدِ ضَمِّ مُنتَشَرِه
3. It's as though whoever gathered and trimmed them
Sent a drink after them
٣. كَأَنَّ مَن ضَمَّهُ وَعَقَّصَهُ
أَرَسَلَ شُرَّابَةً على أَثَرِه
4. And in the moderation of autumn is the best
Of what can be gently moved like a cradle in its wrap
٤. وفي اعتِدالِ الخَرِيفِ أَحسنُ ما
يُرْ قِلُ مِثلَ الرَّداحِ في أُزُرِه
5. It's as though its trees when they were spread out
The shadows of its leaves on its fruit
٥. كَأَنَّ أَشجارَهُ وقد نُشِرَتْ
ظِلالُ أَوراقهِ على ثَمَرِه
6. Bearing her child in her hand
Shading him with the veil of her hair
٦. حَامِلَةٌ طِفلَها على يَدِها
تُظلُّهُ بالخِمارِ من شَعَرِه
7. It's as though its smooth trunk when
Its engravings appeared on it
٧. كَأَنمَّا ساقَهُ الصَّقِيلُ وقد
بَدَتْ عليهِ نُقوشُ مُعتَبرِه
8. The leg of a bride whose wrap was removed
So the dye staining its inscription appeared
٨. سَاقُ عَروسٍ أُمِيطَ مِئزرُها
فَبانَ وَشيء الخِضابِ في حِبَرِه
9. Braided from a rivulet its anklets
So it clears and the petals blow from its flowers
٩. تُصاغُ مِن جَدْوَلٍ خَلاخِلُها
فَينجلي والنِّثارُ من زَهَرِه
10. Gardens shook their palm trees
As though it were the army or in its groups
١٠. حَدائِقٌ خَفَّقَتْ سَناجِقُها
كأَنّهُ الجَيشُ أمَّ في زُمَرِه
11. Its sight never satisfied the eyes from looking at it
And all its signs are dazzling
١١. زَهَا فَراقَ العُيونَ مَنظرُهُ
فَما تَمَلُّ العُيونُ من نَظَرِه
12. That show in its roses and in its chest
It's as though its short life narrated
١٢. وكلُّ آياتهِ فَباهِرَةٌ
تَبِينُ في وِرْدِهِ وفي صَدَرِه
13. The era of union with the beloved in her palace
It's as though its crab-apples old age came
١٣. كأَنمَّا عُمْرُهُ القَصِيرُ حَكَى
زَمانَ وَصْلِ الحَبِيبِ في قِصَرِه
14. Informing that his life had passed fleeting by
It's as though it is the full moon in perfection
١٤. كأَنَّ عُرْجُونَهُ المَشيبُ أَتى
يُخبِرُ أَنْ خانَهُ انقِضَا عُمْرِه
15. Struck by eclipse in the prosperity of its moonlight
It's as though after its cutting it yellowed
١٥. كأَنَّهُ البَدرُ في الكمالِ وقد
أُصِيبَ بِالخَسْفِ في سَنَا قَمرِه
16. For what it received from the harm of its stone
A desperate lover whom longing melted
١٦. كأَنَّهُ بَعدَ قَطعِهِ وقد اصفَـ
ـرَّ لِمَا نَالَ مِن أَذَى حجرِه
17. Spending the night in ecstasy on the verge of danger
Suspended in hope its appearance
١٧. مُتيَّمٌ قد أَذابَهُ كَمَدٌ
يَبِيتُ مِن وَجْدِهِ على خَطَرِه
18. Informs of the news it harvested
It smells sweet and its fruit is delicious
١٨. مُعَلَّقٌ بِالرَّجاءِ ظاهِرُهُ
يُخبِرُ عَمَّا أَجَنَّ مِن خَبرِه
19. Over harm that increased over its endurance
It's as though it is the freeman in his plight
١٩. يَطِيبُ رِيحاً ويُستلَذُّ جنىً
على أَذىً زادَ فَوقَ مُصطَبِرِه
20. Increasing in patience over the harm of his condition
٢٠. كأَنّهُ الحُرُّ حالَ مِحنتِهِ
يَزيدُ صَبْراً على أَذَى ضَرَرِه