وَذي شَفَةٍ لَمياءَ زِينَت بِشامَةٍ

وَذي شَفَةٍ لَمياءَ زِينَت بِشامَةٍ

مِن المسكِ في ترشافها يذهبُ النُّسكُ

مِن المسكِ في ترشافها يذهبُ النُّسكُ

And one with a dusky lip adorned with a beauty spot

With lips like dewdrops adorned with a beauty mark

Of musk—sipping from it makes devotion vanish.

Of musk whose fragrance dispels all piety

ظمئتُ إِلَيها ريقَةً كَوثَرِيَّةً

ظمئتُ إِلَيها ريقَةً كَوثَرِيَّةً

بِمِثلِ لآلي ثَغرِها يُنظم السِلكُ

بِمِثلِ لآلي ثَغرِها يُنظم السِلكُ

I thirsted for that lip, for saliva like Kawthar.

I thirst for a draught from them like Kawthari water

With pearls like those of that mouth, the thread is strung.

With pearls like those that string her mouth’s necklace

تُعلُّ بِمَعسولٍ كَأنَّ رُضابَه

تُعلُّ بِمَعسولٍ كَأنَّ رُضابَه

مُدامٌ مِن الفردوس خاتمهُ مِسكُ

مُدامٌ مِن الفردوس خاتمهُ مِسكُ

The lip is given repeated draughts of honeyed sweetness, as though its saliva

She smiles with a sweetness as though its yet unmixed wine

Were wine from Paradise, its seal musk.

Were a paradisal draft whose seal is musk