1. يا سَلمَ ذاتَ الوُضَّحِ العِذابِ

    وَرَبَّةَ المِعصَمِ ذي الخِضابِ

    O Salm, with sweet, gleaming-white teeth,

    And lady of the henna-stained wrist,

  2. وَالكَفَلِ الرَجراجِ في الحِقابِ

    وَالفاحِمِ الأَسوَدِ كَالغُرابِ

    And of buttocks that quiver within a girdle,

    And of coal-black hair, dark as a raven—

  3. بِحَقِّ تِلكَ القُبَلِ الطِيابِ

    بَعدَ التَجَنّي مِنكِ وَالعِتابِ

    For the sake of those sweet kisses,

    After your unjust blame and reproaches,

  4. إِلّا كَشَفتِ اليَومَ عَنّي ما بي

    جاءَ مَشيبي وَمَضى شَبابي

    Do relieve me today of what ails me.

    My gray hair has come, and my youth has passed;

  5. وَزالَ عَنّي أَهوَجُ التَصابي

    فَلَم أَجُز عَن مَنهَجِ الصَوابِ

    And reckless youthful dalliance has left me;

    So I have not strayed from the path of right conduct.