لَم أَنسَهُ لَمّا تَبَدّى مُقبِلاً

لَم أَنسَهُ لَمّا تَبَدّى مُقبِلاً

نَشوان يُخجِلُ قَدُّه الأَغصانا

نَشوان يُخجِلُ قَدُّه الأَغصانا

I have not forgotten him as he appeared, approaching,

I did not forget him when he appeared approaching,

intoxicated, his stature putting the boughs to shame.

Delightful, his stature puts the branches to shame.

قاسٍ أَرانا مِنهُ لُطفَ شَمائِلٍ

قاسٍ أَرانا مِنهُ لُطفَ شَمائِلٍ

بَهرَ الأَنامِ بِحُسنِهنّ وَلانا

بَهرَ الأَنامِ بِحُسنِهنّ وَلانا

Cruel, he showed us the gentleness of his ways;

Harsh he seemed to us with gentle qualities,

he dazzled humankind with their beauty and grew tender.

Dazzling people with their beauty, supple and lithe.