من كل مخطفة الحشى وحشيةٍ

من كل مخطفة الحشى وحشيةٍ

تحمي مداريها ذمَارَ جُلودِها

تحمي مداريها ذمَارَ جُلودِها

From every slender-waisted wild doe,

Of every slender-waisted wild creature,

whose horns guard the inviolability of her hide—

Whose horns defend the sanctity of her hide,

فكأنما أقلامُ مسكِ كتّبت

فكأنما أقلامُ مسكِ كتّبت

بمدادِ عينيها رسومَ خدودها

بمدادِ عينيها رسومَ خدودها

as though pens of musk had traced,

So it is as though pens of musk have inscribed,

with the ink of her eyes, the contours of her cheeks.

With the ink of her eyes, the markings on her cheeks.