طَفلَةٌ خَودٌ رَداحٌ

طَفلَةٌ خَودٌ رَداحٌ

هامَ قَلبي بِهَواها

هامَ قَلبي بِهَواها

A tender, beautiful, full-figured maiden;

A rosy-cheeked girl

A tender maiden, soft and curvaceous,

my heart grew mad with love for her.

My heart is obsessed with her love

My heart wanders madly in her love.

قَدُّها أَحسَنُ قَدٍّ

قَدُّها أَحسَنُ قَدٍّ

فَاِسأَلوا مَن قَد رَآها

فَاِسأَلوا مَن قَد رَآها

Her figure is the loveliest of figures;

Her stature is the best stature

Her figure is the fairest of all forms,

so ask whoever has seen her.

Ask anyone who has seen her stature

Ask anyone who has beheld her.

ما بَراها اللَهُ إِلّا

ما بَراها اللَهُ إِلّا

فِتنَةً حينَ بَراها

فِتنَةً حينَ بَراها

God fashioned her only

God created her only

God did not create her, save

as a temptation when He fashioned her.

As a temptation when He created her

To be an enchantment when He formed her.

تَنثُرُ الدُرَّ إِذا غَن

تَنثُرُ الدُرَّ إِذا غَن

نَت عَلَينا شَفَتاها

نَت عَلَينا شَفَتاها

She scatters pearls whenever

She scatters pearls when she sings

She scatters pearls whenever

her lips sing to us.

With her lips upon us

Her lips sing out to us.

وَأَرى لِلعودِ زَهواً

وَأَرى لِلعودِ زَهواً

حينَ تَحويهِ يَداها

حينَ تَحويهِ يَداها

And I see pride in the lute

And I see the lute glorified

And I see pride within the lute

when her hands hold it.

When her hands contain it

When her hands embrace it.

رُبَّما أَغضَيتُ عَنها

رُبَّما أَغضَيتُ عَنها

بَصَري خَوفَ سَناها

بَصَري خَوفَ سَناها

Sometimes I avert from her

Sometimes I avert my eyes from her

Perhaps I lowered my gaze from her,

my gaze, for fear of her radiance.

Fearing her brilliance

My sight, in fear of her radiance.

هِيَ هَمّي وَمُنائي

هِيَ هَمّي وَمُنائي

لَيتَني كُنتُ مُناها

لَيتَني كُنتُ مُناها

She is my preoccupation and my every wish;

She is my concern and my wish

She is my obsession and my wish,

if only I were her desire.

I wish I was her refuge

If only I were her wish.