في خدّهِ من بقايا اللثمِ تجميش

في خدّهِ من بقايا اللثمِ تجميش

وبي لِتَشويشِ ذاك الصُّدغ تَشويشُ

وبي لِتَشويشِ ذاك الصُّدغ تَشويشُ

His cheek bears love-marks left by kisses;

On his cheek remain traces of the veil's imprint

And the disarray of that temple-lock leaves me distraught.

And I am disturbed by the agitation of that cheek

ظبيٌ من التُّركِ أغنته لواحظُهُ

ظبيٌ من التُّركِ أغنته لواحظُهُ

عما حوته من النَّبل التَّراكيشُ

عما حوته من النَّبل التَّراكيشُ

A gazelle among the Turks, whose glances spare him the need

A gazelle from the Turks whose glances made him sing

For the arrows the quivers hold.

Of what was contained in arrows and quivers

إذا تثنَّى فقلبُ الغُصنِ مُنكَسرٌ

إذا تثنَّى فقلبُ الغُصنِ مُنكَسرٌ

وإن تبدَّى فطرفُ البدرِ مَدهُوشُ

وإن تبدَّى فطرفُ البدرِ مَدهُوشُ

When he sways, the bough's heart is broken;

When he bends, the branch of his heart breaks

And when he appears, the full moon's eye is bewildered.

And when he appears, the edge of the full moon folds

يا عاذلي إن تكُن عن حُسنِ صُورَتِهِ

يا عاذلي إن تكُن عن حُسنِ صُورَتِهِ

أعمى فإني عما قُلتَ أطرُوشُ

أعمى فإني عما قُلتَ أطرُوشُ

O my reproacher, if to the beauty of his form you are

O my reproacher, if you are blind to the beauty of his face

Blind, then I am deaf to what you have said.

Then I am deaf to what you have said

واخجلةَ العُربِ إن كانتَ عمائمَهُم

واخجلةَ العُربِ إن كانتَ عمائمَهُم

لم تَحوِ ما قد حوتٌ منه الشرَّابيش

لم تَحوِ ما قد حوتٌ منه الشرَّابيش

Oh, the shame of the Arabs, if their turbans

And put the Arabs to shame if their turbans

Have not held his like, as the sharbush caps have!

Did not contain what his drinking-cup contained

كم ليلةٍ باتَ يسقيني المدامَ على

كم ليلةٍ باتَ يسقيني المدامَ على

روض له بنبات الغَيم تَرقيشُ

روض له بنبات الغَيم تَرقيشُ

How many a night he spent serving me wine upon

How many nights he stayed up serving me wine

A meadow embroidered with plants nurtured by clouds.

In a garden adorned with the growth of clouds

والغيث كالملك ترتجُّ الجيوشُ لهُ

والغيث كالملك ترتجُّ الجيوشُ لهُ

والبرقُ راياتُه والرَّعدُ جاويشُ

والبرقُ راياتُه والرَّعدُ جاويشُ

And the rain is like a king, for whom the armies are astir;

And rain like a king, the armies tremble before it

And lightning is his banners, and thunder his herald.

With lightning its flags and thunder its musician

في مجلسٍ ضَحِكت أرجاؤُه طرباً

في مجلسٍ ضَحِكت أرجاؤُه طرباً

لأنه ببديع الزَّهر مَفروُشُ

لأنه ببديع الزَّهر مَفروُشُ

In a gathering-place whose corners laughed for joy,

In a gathering whose corners laughed with joy

Because it was carpeted with exquisite flowers.

For it was carpeted with the exquisite flowers