عَشِقَتْ مَعاطِفَ قَدِّه المَيَّاسِ

عَشِقَتْ مَعاطِفَ قَدِّه المَيَّاسِ

لَمَّا انْثَنَى هَيَفاً غُصُونُ الآسِ

لَمَّا انْثَنَى هَيَفاً غُصُونُ الآسِ

The curves of his swaying form won the love

She fell in love with his strong, proud neck

of the myrtle boughs when he bent in slender grace.

When the branches of the wild plum gracefully bent

بَدْرٌ يَفُوقُ البَدْرَ مَنْظَرُه إِذَا

بَدْرٌ يَفُوقُ البَدْرَ مَنْظَرُه إِذَا

جُلِيَتْ مَحاسِنُه على الجُلَّاسِ

جُلِيَتْ مَحاسِنُه على الجُلَّاسِ

A full moon whose appearance outshines the full moon, when

A full moon that surpasses the full moon in appearance

his charms are unveiled before the seated company.

When his beauty is unveiled to the spying eyes

إِنْ نَازلُوُه فَهْوَ لَيْثُ عَرينِهِ

إِنْ نَازلُوُه فَهْوَ لَيْثُ عَرينِهِ

أَوْ غَازَلُوه فَهْوَ ظَبْيُ كِنَاسِ

أَوْ غَازَلُوه فَهْوَ ظَبْيُ كِنَاسِ

If they challenge him in combat, he is the lion of his lair;

If you confront him, he is a lion in his den

or woo him, he is a gazelle in its leafy covert.

And if you flirt with him, he is a gazelle of the meadow

دُرّي مُبْتَسمٍ يُريكَ وَميضَهُ

دُرّي مُبْتَسمٍ يُريكَ وَميضَهُ

وسَناهُ ما يُغْني عَنِ النّبْراسِ

وسَناهُ ما يُغْني عَنِ النّبْراسِ

With a pearl-bright smile, he shows you its gleam,

A smiling pearl that shows you its glow

and its radiance leaves no need for a lamp.

And his youth renders lanterns useless

لي مِنْ أَزاهِرِ وَجْنَتَيْهِ رَوْضَةٌ

لي مِنْ أَزاهِرِ وَجْنَتَيْهِ رَوْضَةٌ

وَمِن اللَّواحِظ قَهْوَةٌ في الكاسِ

وَمِن اللَّواحِظ قَهْوَةٌ في الكاسِ

From the blossoms of his cheeks, I have a garden,

I have from his gardens and flowers a meadow

and from his sidelong glances, wine in the cup.

And from the glances a coffee in my cup