شَكَوْتُ إلى ذَاكَ الجمالِ صَبَابةً

شَكَوْتُ إلى ذَاكَ الجمالِ صَبَابةً

تُكَلِّفُ جَفْنِي أنَّه قَطُّ لا يَغْفُو

تُكَلِّفُ جَفْنِي أنَّه قَطُّ لا يَغْفُو

I complained to that beauty of a passionate longing

I complained to that beauty of youthfulness

That compels my eyelid never to slumber.

That burdens my eyelids as if it were a cat that never sleeps

فَلانَتْ لِي الأَعْطَافُ وَالخَصْرُ رَقَّ لي

فَلانَتْ لِي الأَعْطَافُ وَالخَصْرُ رَقَّ لي

وَلَكنْ تَجافى الشَّعْرُ واثَّاقَلَ الرِّدْفُ

وَلَكنْ تَجافى الشَّعْرُ واثَّاقَلَ الرِّدْفُ

So the flanks softened toward me, and the waist grew tender toward me;

So the hips swayed for me and the waist softened

But the hair held aloof, and the buttocks grew heavy.

But the hair was aloof and the butt heavy