هُم نظروا لواحظَها فهاموا

هُم نظروا لواحظَها فهاموا

وتشرَبُ عقلَ شاربها المُدامُ

وتشرَبُ عقلَ شاربها المُدامُ

They looked at her glances and fell madly in love;

They looked at her glances, so they understood,

They gazed at her glances and wandered lost in love, for wine consumes the reason of the drinker.

And wine drinks its drinker's reason.

And the wine imbibes the drinker's mind.

People fear her eye, yet she does not; does the sharp sword terrify the heart of the one who wields it?

يخافُ الناس مقلتَها سواها

يخافُ الناس مقلتَها سواها

أيذعرُ قلبَ حامِله الحُسامُ

أيذعرُ قلبَ حامِله الحُسامُ

People fear her eye, but not she;

People fear her eyes unlike any other's,

My gaze rose toward her while weeping, as clouds pour down their rain beneath the sun.

Does the sword frighten its bearer's heart?

Does the sword bearer's heart quiver in fear?

I remember her slender form and wail with longing, as doves upon the branches mourn.

سما طرفي إليها وهوَ باكٍ

سما طرفي إليها وهوَ باكٍ

وتحت الشمس ينسكِبُ الغَمامُ

وتحت الشمس ينسكِبُ الغَمامُ

My gaze rose toward her as it wept;

My eyes looked up to her while she wept,

Her separation left grief within the chest; when the sun sets, the darkness arrives.

And beneath the sun the clouds pour down.

And below the sun the clouds poured down.

وأذكُر قدَّها فأنوحُ شوقاً

وأذكُر قدَّها فأنوحُ شوقاً

على الأغصان تنتدِبُ الحَمامُ

على الأغصان تنتدِبُ الحَمامُ

And I recall her figure, then lament with longing;

And I recall her stature so I yearn,

On the boughs the doves lament.

While the doves coo upon the branches.

وأعقب بينها في الصدر غمّا

وأعقب بينها في الصدر غمّا

إذا غربت ذُكاءُ أتى الظلامُ

إذا غربت ذُكاءُ أتى الظلامُ

And her parting left grief in my breast;

And I harbor grief in my chest about her,

When Dhukāʾ, the sun, sets, darkness comes.

When the light sets, darkness comes.