1. أمن خدها الورديّ افتنك الخالُ

    فسح من الأجفان مدمعك الخال

    Was it the mole on her rosy cheek that bewitched you,

    so your raincloud of tears poured from your eyelids?

  2. وأومض برقٌ من محيا جمالها

    لعينيك أم من ثغرها أومض الخال

    And did lightning flash from her lovely face

    to your eyes, or did lightning gleam from her mouth?

  3. رعى اللَه ذياك القوام وإن يكن

    تلاعب في أعطافه التيه والخال

    May God preserve that figure, even though

    pride and swagger sport within its curves.

  4. وللَه هاتيك الجفون فإنها

    على الفتك يهواها أخو العشق والخال

    And God be praised for those eyelids, for

    despite their deadliness, lover and fancy-free alike adore them.

  5. مهاة بأمي أفتديها ووالدي

    وإن لام عمي الطيب الأصل والخال

    An oryx-doe—I would ransom her with my mother and father,

    even if my nobly born paternal uncle and my maternal uncle reproached me.

  6. ارتنا كثيياً فوقه خيزرانة

    بروحي تلك الخيزرانة والخال

    She showed us a sand dune with a bamboo cane above it;

    my soul for that bamboo cane and hillock!

  7. غلائلها والدر أضحى بجيدها

    نسيجان ديباج الملاحة والخال

    Her gauzy gowns and the pearls now around her neck

    are two fabrics: loveliness's brocade and fine Yemeni cloth.

  8. ولما تولى طرفها كل مهجةٍ

    على قدها من فرعها عقد الخال

    And when her gaze took possession of every heart,

    a banner of her tresses was tied upon her slender form.

  9. إذا فتكت أهلٍ الجمال فإنما

    لهنّ على أهل الهوى الملك والخال

    When the beauties slay, it is only because

    over lovers they hold sovereignty and the standard.

  10. وليس الهوى إلّا المروءة والوفا

    وليس لهُ إلّا امروءٌ ماجدٌ خال

    Love is nothing but nobility and fidelity,

    and only a noble, generous man is fit for it.

  11. وكم يدعي بالحب من ليس أهله

    وهيهات أين الحب والأحمق الخال

    And how many claim love who are unworthy of it!

    And how far apart are love and the vain fool!

  12. معذبتي لا تجحدي الحب بيننا

    لما اتهم الواشي فإني الفتى الخال

    My tormentress, do not deny the love between us

    because of the talebearer's accusations, for I am a blameless youth.

  13. ولي شيمةٌ طابت ثناءً وعفةٌ

    تصاحبني حتى يصاحبني الخال

    Mine are a well-praised character and a chastity

    that accompanies me until death accompanies me.

  14. سلي عن غرامي كل من يعرف الهوى

    تري أنني ربُ الصبابة والخال

    Ask everyone who knows love about my passion;

    you will see that I am the master of longing and fancy.

  15. ولا تسمعي قول العذول فإنه

    لقد سأفينا ظنه السؤ والخال

    And do not heed the reproacher's words, for

    his evil suspicion and conjecture have wronged us.

  16. سعى بيننا سعي الحسود فليته

    أشل وفي رجليه أوثقه خال

    He schemed between us as the envious do; would that he

    were maimed, with a fetter binding both his feet!

  17. وظيبة حسن مذ رأيت ابتسامها

    عشقت ولم تخط الفراسة والخال

    And a gazelle of beauty—since I saw her smile,

    I have loved her; discernment and intuition did not err.

  18. توسم طرفي في محاسن وجهها

    فلاح لهُ في بدر سيماءِها خال

    My gaze studied the beauties of her face,

    and a mole appeared to it upon the full moon of her countenance.

  19. إلى مثلها يرنو الحليم صبابةً

    ويعشقها سامي النباهة والخال

    A judicious man gazes longingly at one like her,

    and the highly renowned and the wealthy alike love her.

  20. أيا راكباً يطوي الفلاة ببكرةٍ

    يباع بها النهد المطهم والخال

    O rider, crossing the desert on a young she-camel

    for which a tall, well-built steed and a mighty camel would be sold,

  21. بعيشك ان جئت الشام فعج إلى

    مهب الصبا الغربي يعنُّ لك الخال

    by your life, if you reach al-Sham, turn toward

    the western haunt of the east wind; the landmark will come into view.

  22. وسلم بأشواقي على مربعٍ عفا

    كأن رباه بعدنا الأقفر الخال

    And greet, with my longings, a spring campsite whose traces have faded,

    as though its heights, since we left, were an empty wasteland.

  23. وإن ناشدتك الغيد عني فقل على

    عهود الهوى فهو المحافظ والخال

    And if the graceful beauties ask you about me, say: 'As for

    love's vows, he is their guardian and attentive keeper.'

  24. وان قلنَ هل سام التصبر بعدنا

    فقل صبره ولّى وفرط الجوى خال

    And if they say, 'Did he seek patient endurance after we left?'

    then say, 'His patience has gone, and fierce anguish remains.'

  25. لكل جماحٍ إن تمادى شكيمةٌ

    ولكن جماح الدهر ليس لهُ خال

    Every runaway impulse, if it goes too far, has a curb,

    but time's headlong course has no bridle.