ومعذِّرٍ خفيت خطوطُ عِذاره

ومعذِّرٍ خفيت خطوطُ عِذاره

فبدت لطالب وصله أعذارهُ

فبدت لطالب وصله أعذارهُ

And a downy-cheeked youth whose beard-lines were hidden:

Thus the seeker of union with him had his excuses made clear.

قد لاح تحت ورودِه ريحانةٌ

قد لاح تحت ورودِه ريحانةٌ

وبدا خفيًّا للعيون غبارهُ

وبدا خفيًّا للعيون غبارهُ

A sprig of basil had appeared beneath his roses,

And his dust appeared, barely visible to the eyes.

يبدو فتقطر بالدِّما أقطارُه

يبدو فتقطر بالدِّما أقطارُه

دلاًّ ويخطو بالخُطى خطَّارهُ

دلاًّ ويخطو بالخُطى خطَّارهُ

He appears, and blood drips from his every side,

In coquetry; and his swaying figure advances step by step.

رقَّت شمائله ورقَّ كلامُه

رقَّت شمائله ورقَّ كلامُه

وتعبَّدت أوطارنا أوطارهُ

وتعبَّدت أوطارنا أوطارهُ

His manners grew delicate, and his speech grew gentle,

And his desires enslaved our desires.

فشككْتُ بين مؤنَّثٍ ومذكَّرٍ

فشككْتُ بين مؤنَّثٍ ومذكَّرٍ

فيه فأنْبَا باليقين عذارُهُ

فيه فأنْبَا باليقين عذارُهُ

So I wavered between female and male

Concerning him—then his cheek-down gave a certain answer.