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 visited by night and met

With my soul that visited at night and met

eyes worn thin by sleeplessness and by long-lashed eyes.

Eyes that the insomnia and the eyelids have made sleepless

فَعاجَلتها باللثمِ عِظماً لردفِها

فَعاجَلتها باللثمِ عِظماً لردفِها

وَعالجتُها باللِينِ مِنّي وَبِاللُطفِ

وَعالجتُها باللِينِ مِنّي وَبِاللُطفِ

Then I hastened to kiss her, in homage to her rump,

I greeted her with a kiss for her cheekbones

and coaxed her with my tenderness and gentleness.

And treated her gently with my tenderness and kindness

وَقُلتُ أَرى وَرداً بِخدِّكِ ذابِلاً

وَقُلتُ أَرى وَرداً بِخدِّكِ ذابِلاً

أَلا فإذني باللَثم فيهِ وَبِالقَطفِ

أَلا فإذني باللَثم فيهِ وَبِالقَطفِ

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

And I said I see a withering rose on your cheek

come, then, permit me to kiss it and pluck it.

Lo, then, I will pick it with a kiss 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 a waist that swayed, soft and supple—

And a delicate, supple curve that is smooth

why will it not bend toward me for plucking?

Why then does it not bend to me for plucking

لَجَمَّعتُ بَدراً وَالنَقا وَأَراكةً

لَجَمَّعتُ بَدراً وَالنَقا وَأَراكةً

بنورِ المُحيّا مِنكِ وَالرِدفِ وَالعِطفِ

بنورِ المُحيّا مِنكِ وَالرِدفِ وَالعِطفِ

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

I would gather a full moon, bright star, and a planet

in your face’s radiance, your rump, and your waist.

With the light of your smile, your cheek, and your curve

وَلما رَأت ما بي وَأَطربَ سَمعَها

وَلما رَأت ما بي وَأَطربَ سَمعَها

نسيبيَ فيها قبَّلتني بِالخَطفِ

نسيبيَ فيها قبَّلتني بِالخَطفِ

And when she saw my plight, and her ears were delighted

And when she saw my passion and her hearing thrilled

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

She forgot her reticence and snatched a kiss from me

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

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

Oh what a kiss from her! If I had my way

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

The chill of saliva would quench the burning embers

وَولَّت فَأَبقَت في فُؤادي وَمُقلَتي

وَولَّت فَأَبقَت في فُؤادي وَمُقلَتي

جَحيماً وَدَمعاً لا يَمَلُّ مِن النَطفِ

جَحيماً وَدَمعاً لا يَمَلُّ مِن النَطفِ

And she turned away, leaving in my heart and my eye

But she turned and left within my heart and feelings

an inferno and tears that never tire of dripping.

A blazing hell and tears that know no staunching of flow