لا وَمَكانِ الصَّليبِ في النّحْرِ

لا وَمَكانِ الصَّليبِ في النّحْرِ

مِنْكِ ومَجْرَى الزُّنّارِ في الخَصْرِ

مِنْكِ ومَجْرَى الزُّنّارِ في الخَصْرِ

No—by the cross’s resting place upon the throat,

No, by the place of the cross upon the breast

on you, and the zunnār’s course around the waist;

of yours, and by the girdle’s course around the waist,

والخالِ في الخَدِّ إِذْ أُشَبِّهُهُ

والخالِ في الخَدِّ إِذْ أُشَبِّهُهُ

وَرْدَةَ مِسْكٍ على ثَرَى تِبْرِ

وَرْدَةَ مِسْكٍ على ثَرَى تِبْرِ

and by the mole upon the cheek, when I liken it

and by the mole on the cheek, as I liken it to

to a musk-rose upon earth of gold;

a rose of musk upon a ground of gold dust,

وحاجِبٍ مَدَّ خَطَّهُ قَلَمُ ال

وحاجِبٍ مَدَّ خَطَّهُ قَلَمُ ال

حُسْنِ بِحِبْرِ البَهاءِ لا الحِبْرِ

حُسْنِ بِحِبْرِ البَهاءِ لا الحِبْرِ

and by an eyebrow whose line was drawn by the pen of—

and by an eyebrow whose line was drawn by the pen of

Beauty, with radiance for ink—not common ink;

beauty, with the ink of radiance, not ink,

وأُقْحُوانٍ بِفِيكِ مُنْتَظِمٍ

وأُقْحُوانٍ بِفِيكِ مُنْتَظِمٍ

على شَبيهِ الغَديرِ مِنْ خَمْرِ

على شَبيهِ الغَديرِ مِنْ خَمْرِ

and by daisies arrayed within your mouth,

and by daisies arrayed in your mouth

above what resembles a pool of wine;

above what resembles a pool of wine—

ما أَصْبَرَ الشّوْقَ بي فأَصْبَرُنا

ما أَصْبَرَ الشّوْقَ بي فأَصْبَرُنا

مَنْ حَسُنَتْ فيه قِلّةُ الصَّبْرِ

مَنْ حَسُنَتْ فيه قِلّةُ الصَّبْرِ

How patient longing is with me! The more patient of us

how patient longing is with me! For the most patient of us

is the one whom lack of patience becomes.

is the one in whom impatience is beautiful.