أَسحرٌ لِتلكَ العَينِ في القَلبِ أَم وَخز

أَسحرٌ لِتلكَ العَينِ في القَلبِ أَم وَخز

وَلينٌ لِذاكَ الجسمِ في اللَمسِ أَم خَزُّ

وَلينٌ لِذاكَ الجسمِ في اللَمسِ أَم خَزُّ

Is it sorcery from those eyes within the heart, or a sting?

Is it magic that eye works in the heart, or a stab?

And is that body's softness to the touch—or silk?

And is that body soft to the touch, or is it silk?

وَأملود ذاكَ القَدّ أَم أَسمَرٌّ غَدا

وَأملود ذاكَ القَدّ أَم أَسمَرٌّ غَدا

لَهُ أَبَداً في قَلبِ عاشِقِهِ وَهزُ

لَهُ أَبَداً في قَلبِ عاشِقِهِ وَهزُ

Is that figure a supple sapling, or a dusky spear become—

And is that figure a supple bough, or a tawny lance that has come

Forever thrust and quivering in its lover's heart?

to thrust forever into its lover's heart?

فَتاة كَساها الحُسنُ أَفخرَ مَلبَسٍ

فَتاة كَساها الحُسنُ أَفخرَ مَلبَسٍ

فَصارَ عَلَيهِ مِن مَحاسِنِها طرزُ

فَصارَ عَلَيهِ مِن مَحاسِنِها طرزُ

A maiden whom beauty clothed in the proudest garment,

A maiden—beauty clothed her in the finest attire,

Upon which her charms became embroidery.

so embroidery from her charms appeared upon it.

وَأَهدى إِلَيها الغُصنُ لينَ قوامِهِ

وَأَهدى إِلَيها الغُصنُ لينَ قوامِهِ

فَماسَ كَأَنَّ الغُصنَ خامرَهُ العِزُّ

فَماسَ كَأَنَّ الغُصنَ خامرَهُ العِزُّ

The branch bestowed upon her the suppleness of its form,

And the bough bestowed on her the suppleness of its form,

Then swayed, as though pride had made the branch drunk.

so her figure swayed as though pride had filled the bough.

يَضوعُ أَديمُ الأَرضِ مِن نَشر طيبِها

يَضوعُ أَديمُ الأَرضِ مِن نَشر طيبِها

وَيخضَرُّ في آثارِها تُربُهُ الجرزُ

وَيخضَرُّ في آثارِها تُربُهُ الجرزُ

The face of the earth breathes fragrance from her wafted perfume,

The earth's skin grows fragrant with her wafting perfume,

And in her footprints its barren soil grows green.

and in her footsteps its barren soil turns green.

وَتَختالُ في بُردِ الشَبابِ إِذا مَشَت

وَتَختالُ في بُردِ الشَبابِ إِذا مَشَت

فيُنهِضُها قَدٌّ وَيقعِدُها عَجزُ

فيُنهِضُها قَدٌّ وَيقعِدُها عَجزُ

She struts in youth's mantle whenever she walks:

And she sways proudly in youth's mantle as she walks:

Her stature lifts her up, her ample hindquarters weigh her down.

her stature lifts her, while her rump weighs her down.

أَصابَت فُؤادَ الصَبِّ مِنها بِنَظرَةٍ

أَصابَت فُؤادَ الصَبِّ مِنها بِنَظرَةٍ

فَلا رُقيةٌ تُجدي المُصابَ وَلا حِرزُ

فَلا رُقيةٌ تُجدي المُصابَ وَلا حِرزُ

With a single glance from her, she struck the ardent lover's heart;

She struck the lovesick man's heart with a glance of hers,

No healing spell avails the stricken man, nor any amulet.

so neither incantation nor amulet can help the stricken man.

أَقامَ زَماناً وَهوَ أَخرَسُ باهِتٌ

أَقامَ زَماناً وَهوَ أَخرَسُ باهِتٌ

فَإِن رامَ تَكليماً يَكونُ لَهُ رَمزُ

فَإِن رامَ تَكليماً يَكونُ لَهُ رَمزُ

Long he remained mute and dumbfounded;

He remained for a time, speechless and stunned;

If he attempts to speak, he can only gesture.

so if he tries to speak, he can only gesture.

وَلَو أَنَها تَسخو بِأَدنى وِصالِها

وَلَو أَنَها تَسخو بِأَدنى وِصالِها

لأَقنَعَهُ المسكينُ مِن لَحظِها غَمزُ

لأَقنَعَهُ المسكينُ مِن لَحظِها غَمزُ

If only she would generously grant the least communion,

And were she generous with even the slightest intimacy,

A wink from her eyes would satisfy the poor man.

a wink of her eye would satisfy him, the poor man.