مِن قَدِّ مَن قَدَّ قَلبي يَخجَلُ البانُ

مِن قَدِّ مَن قَدَّ قَلبي يَخجَلُ البانُ

فَخاطِري بِالأَسى مِلآنَ مَلآنُ

فَخاطِري بِالأَسى مِلآنَ مَلآنُ

The bān tree is abashed by the stature of him who cleft my heart.

My heart is ashamed of one so beautiful

So my mind is full, brimful with sorrow.

Whose thoughts are filled with such sorrow

ريمٌ رَماني بِوَجدٍ لا يَريمُ وَهِج

ريمٌ رَماني بِوَجدٍ لا يَريمُ وَهِج

جيراهُ إِن رُمتُهُ هَجرٌ وَهِجرانُ

جيراهُ إِن رُمتُهُ هَجرٌ وَهِجرانُ

A gazelle struck me with a passion that never departs; and his

She who has afflicted me with such passion does not relent

habit, if I seek him, is abandonment and estrangement.

Though her aversion and estrangement cause me distress

تَجني ثِمارَ المُنى مِنهُ القُلوبُ بِأَل

تَجني ثِمارَ المُنى مِنهُ القُلوبُ بِأَل

حاظِ العُيونِ اِختِلاساً فَهوَ بُستانُ

حاظِ العُيونِ اِختِلاساً فَهوَ بُستانُ

Hearts pluck from him the fruits of desire with

The heart reaps the fruits of its desire through glances

the eyes' glances, furtively—for he is a garden.

That roam her eyes like a garden

وَما تَزالُ رِياضُ الحُسنِ مونقَةً

وَما تَزالُ رِياضُ الحُسنِ مونقَةً

مِنهُ فَكُلُّ زَمانٍ مِنهُ نيسانُ

مِنهُ فَكُلُّ زَمانٍ مِنهُ نيسانُ

And the gardens of beauty remain lovely

The gardens of beauty are ever in bloom

through him; every season, through him, is April.

Each season made verdant by their grace

وَالروحُ لا تَرعَوي عَن شُربِ راحِ هَوىً

وَالروحُ لا تَرعَوي عَن شُربِ راحِ هَوىً

مِن وَجنَتَيهِ لَها رَوحٌ وَرَيحانُ

مِن وَجنَتَيهِ لَها رَوحٌ وَرَيحانُ

And the soul will not desist from drinking love's wine

The soul cannot be sated drinking the wine of passion

from his cheeks, where it finds solace and sweet basil.

For in her cheeks are the breath and fragrance of life

قاسٍ عَلى عاشِقَيهِ ساخِطٌ فَمَتى

قاسٍ عَلى عاشِقَيهِ ساخِطٌ فَمَتى

تَكونُ لي رَحمَةٌ مِنهُ وَرِضوانُ

تَكونُ لي رَحمَةٌ مِنهُ وَرِضوانُ

He is harsh toward his two lovers, displeased—so when

Harsh and angry at his lovers, when will he show

will mercy and favor from him be mine?

Mercy and goodwill upon me?

فَرِدفُهُ وافِرٌ شَبعانُ رَيّانُ

فَرِدفُهُ وافِرٌ شَبعانُ رَيّانُ

وَخَصرُهُ ضامِرٌ غَرثانُ ظَمآنُ

وَخَصرُهُ ضامِرٌ غَرثانُ ظَمآنُ

For his rump is ample, sated and well-watered,

His thighs are fleshy, sated, moist

and his waist is lean, famished and thirsty.

His waist slender, needy, thirsty

إِذا ذُؤابَتُهُ ماجَت فَلا عَجَبٌ

إِذا ذُؤابَتُهُ ماجَت فَلا عَجَبٌ

إِن ماجَ فَوقَ كَثيبِ الرَملِ ثُعبانُ

إِن ماجَ فَوقَ كَثيبِ الرَملِ ثُعبانُ

When his tress sways, it is no wonder

When his serpentine curls sway no wonder -

if a serpent sways above a dune of sand.

A snake sways atop the sandy dune

أَجفانُهُ السودُ مِنها البيضُ مُصلَتَةٌ

أَجفانُهُ السودُ مِنها البيضُ مُصلَتَةٌ

تِلكَ السُيوفُ لَها الأَجفانُ أَجفانُ

تِلكَ السُيوفُ لَها الأَجفانُ أَجفانُ

From his black eyelids, white swords are unsheathed;

His dark lashes, white cheeks are swords

those swords have eyelids for scabbards.

Indeed, swords themselves are lashes