بِنَفْسِي مُثلِجَاتٍ لِلصدُورِ

بِنَفْسِي مُثلِجَاتٍ لِلصدُورِ

لَهَا سِمَتانِ مِنْ نارٍ وَنُورِ

لَهَا سِمَتانِ مِنْ نارٍ وَنُورِ

My life for those that cool the breast,

With my soul, I chill hearts,

They bear two marks, of fire and light.

Bearing two signs: fire and light.

حَوامِلُ وَهْيَ أَبْكَارٌ عَذَارَى

حَوامِلُ وَهْيَ أَبْكَارٌ عَذَارَى

تُزَفُّ عَلَى الأَكُفِّ مَعَ البُكُورِ

تُزَفُّ عَلَى الأَكُفِّ مَعَ البُكُورِ

Pregnant, yet virgins, untouched maidens,

Maidens still chaste, yet ripe,

Borne in bridal procession upon palms at daybreak.

Borne in palms at first light.

بَياضُ الطَّلحِ ما تَنْشَقُّ عَنْهُ

بَياضُ الطَّلحِ ما تَنْشَقُّ عَنْهُ

وَفَوْقَ أَدِيمِها صَهَبُ الخُمُورِ

وَفَوْقَ أَدِيمِها صَهَبُ الخُمُورِ

They split open to reveal the whiteness of bananas,

Whiter than sapless palm-bark,

And over their skin lies the tawny redness of wines.

Above their hands, old wine glows.

كَبَرْدِ الطَّلِّ حِينَ تُذَاقُ طَعماً

كَبَرْدِ الطَّلِّ حِينَ تُذَاقُ طَعماً

وَفِي أَحْشَائِها وَهَجُ الحَرورِ

وَفِي أَحْشَائِها وَهَجُ الحَرورِ

In flavor, like the coolness of dew when tasted,

Cool as melting hail they taste,

And within their innards is the blaze of scorching heat.

Though in their breasts hot longing grows.

لَها حالان بَيْنَ فَمٍ وَكَفٍّ

لَها حالان بَيْنَ فَمٍ وَكَفٍّ

إِذَا وَافَتكَ رائِقَةَ السُّفُورِ

إِذَا وَافَتكَ رائِقَةَ السُّفُورِ

They have two states, between mouth and hand,

Poised between lip and palm

When they come to you, lovely and unveiled:

When you meet them at dusk,

فَتَغْرُبُ كَالأَهِلَّةِ فِي لَهَاةٍ

فَتَغْرُبُ كَالأَهِلَّةِ فِي لَهَاةٍ

وتَطْلعُ في يَمينٍ كالبُدورِ

وتَطْلعُ في يَمينٍ كالبُدورِ

Then they set like crescent moons in a throat,

They fade like stars at dawn

And rise in a right hand like full moons.

And rise like full moons.