إني امرؤٌ أبغضُ النعاجَ وقد

إني امرؤٌ أبغضُ النعاجَ وقد

يعجبني من نتاجِها الحمَلُ

يعجبني من نتاجِها الحمَلُ

I am a man who hates ewes, yet

I am a man who hates ewes, yet

I am a man who loathes the ewes, and yet

A lamb among their offspring may please me.

I may like a lamb of theirs.

I find delight in the ram-lambs they beget.

من عذّبَ اللَهُ بالزنا فأنا

من عذّبَ اللَهُ بالزنا فأنا

لا ناقة لي فيه ولا جمَلُ

لا ناقة لي فيه ولا جمَلُ

Whomever God punishes for fornication—as for me,

He whom God tormented with adultery, I

Whomever God chastises for woman's sin,

I have neither she-camel nor he-camel in the matter.

Have neither she-camel nor camel regarding it.

I have no she-camel, nor male, therein.

يعجبني الأمردُ الطريرُ إذا

يعجبني الأمردُ الطريرُ إذا

أبصرتهُ أهيفاً لهُ كفَل

أبصرتهُ أهيفاً لهُ كفَل

The handsome, beardless young man pleases me when

I like the rose finch when

The beardless, sprouting youth wins my regard,

I see him slender-waisted, with full buttocks.

I see it warbling, with food in its claw,

Slender of waist, with haunches full and hard.

حتى إذا ما رأيتُ لحيتَهُ

حتى إذا ما رأيتُ لحيتَهُ

فليس بيني وبينه عمَل

فليس بيني وبينه عمَل

But once I see his beard,

Until when I see its beard,

But when I see the beard upon his face,

There are no dealings between him and me.

There is no pact between it and me,

No business 'twixt us implies an embrace.

إلّا سليمان إنّهُ رجلٌ

إلّا سليمان إنّهُ رجلٌ

يحلُّ بيني وبينه القُبَلُ

يحلُّ بيني وبينه القُبَلُ

Except Sulayman: he is a man

Except Solomon - he is a man

Except Sulayman—he is a man, 'tis true,

With whom kisses are permissible.

Between whom and it there is kissing.

Between us, kisses are a lawful due.