كَأَنَّها وَقَد بَراها الأَخماس

كَأَنَّها وَقَد بَراها الأَخماس

وَدَلَجُ اللَيلِ وَهادٍ قَيّاس

وَدَلَجُ اللَيلِ وَهادٍ قَيّاس

As though they, worn thin by five-day watering intervals,

As if they had been picked out by the wild roebuck,

And night travel and a guide who gauges the way,

And caressed by the shadows and coolness of night,

وَمَرِجَ الضَفرُ وَماجَ الأَحلاس

وَمَرِجَ الضَفرُ وَماجَ الأَحلاس

شَرائِجُ النَبعِ بَراها القَوّاس

شَرائِجُ النَبعِ بَراها القَوّاس

With the braided girth loosened and the saddlecloths tossing,

Flowing curls, clustering ringlets, tempest-tossed tresses,

Were bow-staves of nabʿ wood, pared by the bowyer.

Torrents unleashed from the fountains, showered by the archer;

يَهوى بِهِنَّ نِحِرِيٌّ هَوّاس

يَهوى بِهِنَّ نِحِرِيٌّ هَوّاس

كَأَنَّ حُرَّ الوَجهِ مِنهُ قِرطاس

كَأَنَّ حُرَّ الوَجهِ مِنهُ قِرطاس

A shrewd, bold night-roamer speeds along with them,

My throat yearns for them wildly, possessed by desire,

As though the smooth expanse of his face were a sheet of paper.

As though the soft satin cheeks traced lines on my heart.

لَيسَ بِما بِهِ بَأسُ باس

لَيسَ بِما بِهِ بَأسُ باس

وَلا يَضُرُّ البَرَّ ما قالَ الناس

وَلا يَضُرُّ البَرَّ ما قالَ الناس

There is no harm in the affliction he has,

No harm in those passions that others condemn!

And what people say does not harm the upright.

People's tongues cannot taint untarnished virtues.

وَإِنَّهُ قَبلَ اِطِّلاعٍ إيناس

وَإِنَّهُ قَبلَ اِطِّلاعٍ إيناس

And indeed, before close inspection comes a first glimpse.

And those fair ones shone on me before the dawning of Enoch.