ما عِمّةُ البُنّي إلا

ما عِمّةُ البُنّي إلا

ذاتُ أشْكالٍ طَريفَهْ

ذاتُ أشْكالٍ طَريفَهْ

Al-Bunnī’s turban is nothing but

The essence of girls is but

a thing of curious shapes,

Shapes full of charm and grace

لكِنْ مُهذّبَةٌ خَفيفَهْ

لكِنْ مُهذّبَةٌ خَفيفَهْ

فكأنّها منْ حوْلِه

فكأنّها منْ حوْلِه

yet neatly arranged and light.

Yet gentle and refined

So, around him, it resembles

As if floating around him

ملْفوفَةٌ وبِهِ مُطيفَهْ

ملْفوفَةٌ وبِهِ مُطيفَهْ

عصْبانَةٌ مذْ كُوِّرَتْ

عصْبانَةٌ مذْ كُوِّرَتْ

—wrapped and encircling him—

Enveloping, circling with enchantment

a stuffed-gut sausage, since the coiling of

Fiery since created

أمْعاؤها بعِظامِ جِيفَهْ

أمْعاؤها بعِظامِ جِيفَهْ

its entrails around a carcass’s bones.

With bones made from corpses