مَليحٌ كَأَنَّ الحُسْنَ أَصْبَحَ حَادِياً

مَليحٌ كَأَنَّ الحُسْنَ أَصْبَحَ حَادِياً

يَسُوقُ إِلَيه كُلَّ صَبٍّ يَشوقُهُ

يَسُوقُ إِلَيه كُلَّ صَبٍّ يَشوقُهُ

A handsome one, as though beauty had become a chanting camel-driver,

So fair, as though beauty itself roams

Driving toward him every lovesick lover whom he makes yearn.

Leading every admirer to yearn

تَحمَّلَ مِنْهُ الخَصْرُ رِدْفاً يُقلّهُ

تَحمَّلَ مِنْهُ الخَصْرُ رِدْفاً يُقلّهُ

وَحُمِّلَ مِنْهُ الصَّبُّ ما لا يُطِيقُهُ

وَحُمِّلَ مِنْهُ الصَّبُّ ما لا يُطِيقُهُ

His waist bears a rump that it holds aloft;

His waist bears a burden too great

And through him the lovesick lover is burdened with what he cannot bear.

And his admirer, a longing too much

وَحَكّمَ فيهِ طَرْفَهُ وَقَوامَهُ

وَحَكّمَ فيهِ طَرْفَهُ وَقَوامَهُ

فَراشِقُه يُودِي بِهِ وَرَشِيقُهُ

فَراشِقُه يُودِي بِهِ وَرَشِيقُهُ

And he has given his gaze and figure dominion over the lover;

His eyes and his posture hold sway

So his arrow-shooting gaze destroys him, and his graceful form too.

Beholding, besotted, all who pass his way