بروحي الَّتي زارَت بليلٍ فَقابَلَت

بروحي الَّتي زارَت بليلٍ فَقابَلَت

عُيوناً بَراها السُهدُ وَالأَعيُن الوُطفِ

عُيوناً بَراها السُهدُ وَالأَعيُن الوُطفِ

My soul be ransom for her who came by night and encountered

My soul be ransom for her who visited by night and met

eyes worn thin by sleeplessness, with her luxuriantly lashed eyes.

Eyes worn away by sleeplessness and by long-lashed eyes.

فَعاجَلتها باللثمِ عِظماً لردفِها

فَعاجَلتها باللثمِ عِظماً لردفِها

وَعالجتُها باللِينِ مِنّي وَبِاللُطفِ

وَعالجتُها باللِينِ مِنّي وَبِاللُطفِ

I swiftly fell upon her with kisses, honoring her rump,

So I hastened to kiss her, in homage to her hips,

and coaxed her with gentleness on my part and tender care.

And coaxed her with my gentleness and tenderness.

وَقُلتُ أَرى وَرداً بِخدِّكِ ذابِلاً

وَقُلتُ أَرى وَرداً بِخدِّكِ ذابِلاً

أَلا فإذني باللَثم فيهِ وَبِالقَطفِ

أَلا فإذني باللَثم فيهِ وَبِالقَطفِ

I said, “I see a rose upon your cheek, wilting;

And I said: I see a wilting rose upon your cheek;

come, then—give me leave to kiss it and to pluck it.

Come, then, let me kiss it and pluck it;

وَعِطفاً تَثنّى ناعِماً ذا لُدُنَّةٍ

وَعِطفاً تَثنّى ناعِماً ذا لُدُنَّةٍ

فَما بِالُه لا يَنثَني لي بِالقَطفِ

فَما بِالُه لا يَنثَني لي بِالقَطفِ

And I see a waist that sways gracefully, endowed with suppleness—

And a swaying waist, soft and supple—

what ails it, that it will not bend toward me to be plucked?

So why will it not bend for me to pluck it?

لَجَمَّعتُ بَدراً وَالنَقا وَأَراكةً

لَجَمَّعتُ بَدراً وَالنَقا وَأَراكةً

بنورِ المُحيّا مِنكِ وَالرِدفِ وَالعِطفِ

بنورِ المُحيّا مِنكِ وَالرِدفِ وَالعِطفِ

I would have gathered together a full moon, a dune, and an arak tree

Indeed, I have gathered a full moon, the sand dune, and an arak tree

in your radiant countenance, your rump, and your waist.”

In your face's radiance, your hips, and your waist.

وَلما رَأت ما بي وَأَطربَ سَمعَها

وَلما رَأت ما بي وَأَطربَ سَمعَها

نسيبيَ فيها قبَّلتني بِالخَطفِ

نسيبيَ فيها قبَّلتني بِالخَطفِ

And when she saw what afflicted me, and her ear was charmed by

And when she saw what ailed me, and her ears were delighted

my love verse about her, she kissed me in a stolen instant.

By my love verses about her, she kissed me in a flash.

فَيا لَكِ مِنها قُبلةً لَو تمكَّنت

فَيا لَكِ مِنها قُبلةً لَو تمكَّنت

لَقَد كانَ بردُ الريقِ حَرَّ الحَشا يطفي

لَقَد كانَ بردُ الريقِ حَرَّ الحَشا يطفي

Ah, what a kiss of hers you were! If only you had endured,

Ah, what a kiss from her! Had it lingered,

the coolness of her saliva would indeed have quenched the fire within.

The coolness of her saliva would surely have quenched the heat within me.

وَولَّت فَأَبقَت في فُؤادي وَمُقلَتي

وَولَّت فَأَبقَت في فُؤادي وَمُقلَتي

جَحيماً وَدَمعاً لا يَمَلُّ مِن النَطفِ

جَحيماً وَدَمعاً لا يَمَلُّ مِن النَطفِ

Then she turned away, leaving within my heart and in my eye

And she turned away, leaving in my heart and eye

an inferno, and tears that never weary of falling drop by drop.

An inferno and tears that never tire of dripping.