تُضاجِعُني الحَسناءُ وَالسَيفُ دونَها

تُضاجِعُني الحَسناءُ وَالسَيفُ دونَها

ضَجيعانِ لي وَالسَيفُ أَدناهُما مِنّي

ضَجيعانِ لي وَالسَيفُ أَدناهُما مِنّي

The fair beauty shares my bed, with the sword between us.

The beautiful woman lies beside me, with the sword between us.

Two bedfellows are mine—and of the two, the sword lies nearer me.

Two bedfellows are mine, and the sword is the nearer to me.

إِذا دَنَتِ البَيضاءُ مِنّي لِحاجَةٍ

إِذا دَنَتِ البَيضاءُ مِنّي لِحاجَةٍ

أَبى الأَبيَضُ الماضي فَأَبعَدَها عَنّي

أَبى الأَبيَضُ الماضي فَأَبعَدَها عَنّي

Whenever the fair woman draws near me for some need,

When the fair-skinned one draws near me with a need,

the keen white blade refuses, and drives her away from me.

the keen white blade refuses and drives her away from me.

وَإِن نامَ لي في الجَفنِ إِنسانُ ناظِرٍ

وَإِن نامَ لي في الجَفنِ إِنسانُ ناظِرٍ

تَيَقَّظَ عَنّي ناظِرٌ لِيَ في الجَفنِ

تَيَقَّظَ عَنّي ناظِرٌ لِيَ في الجَفنِ

Even if the seeing pupil within my eyelid falls asleep,

And if the pupil of my eye sleeps beneath its lid,

a watcher of mine within the scabbard keeps watch on my behalf.

a watcher of mine keeps vigil for me within its sheath.

أَغَرتُ فَتاةَ الحَيِّ مِمّا أَلِفتُهُ

أَغَرتُ فَتاةَ الحَيِّ مِمّا أَلِفتُهُ

أُغَلغِلُهُ دونَ الشِعارِ مِنَ الضَنِّ

أُغَلغِلُهُ دونَ الشِعارِ مِنَ الضَنِّ

I stirred the clan maiden’s jealousy through a habit I had formed:

I have made the tribe’s maiden jealous of what I have grown fond of;

sliding it deep beneath my innermost garment out of wary mistrust.

I tuck it deep beneath my innermost garment, loath to part with it.

وَقالَت هَبوهُ لَيلَةَ الخَوفِ ضَمِّه

وَقالَت هَبوهُ لَيلَةَ الخَوفِ ضَمِّه

فَما عُذرُهُ في ضَمِّهِ لَيلَةَ الأَمنِ

فَما عُذرُهُ في ضَمِّهِ لَيلَةَ الأَمنِ

She said, “Excuse his clasping it on a night of fear—

And she said, "Let him embrace it on a night of fear—

but what excuse has he for clasping her on a night of safety?”

what excuse has he for embracing it on a night of safety?"