وجاريةٍ هَيْفاءَ مَمشوقةِ القَدِّ

وجاريةٍ هَيْفاءَ مَمشوقةِ القَدِّ

لَها وَجْنَةٌ أبهى احمراراً منَ الوَرْدِ

لَها وَجْنَةٌ أبهى احمراراً منَ الوَرْدِ

And a slender maiden, shapely and trim of form,

And a slave girl, slender-waisted, tall and graceful of figure,

With a cheek more splendidly crimson than the rose—

whose cheek is more radiant in redness than the rose.

من اليمنيات التي حرُّ وَجْهها

من اليمنيات التي حرُّ وَجْهها

يفوقُ صقالا صَفْحَةَ الصّارمِ الهِندي

يفوقُ صقالا صَفْحَةَ الصّارمِ الهِندي

One of the Yemenites, the clear surface of whose face

One of the Yemeni women, the finest part of whose face

Outdoes in polish the flat of an Indian blade.

surpasses in polish the flat of a keen Indian sword.

وَثيقَةُ حَبلِ الوَصلِ منذُ صَحبِتُها

وَثيقَةُ حَبلِ الوَصلِ منذُ صَحبِتُها

فَلَسْتُ أراهُ قطُّ مُنْتَقِضَ العَهْدِ

فَلَسْتُ أراهُ قطُّ مُنْتَقِضَ العَهْدِ

The cord of union has held firm since I took her as companion;

Her cord of union has been firm since I kept her company,

Never have I seen it break its covenant.

so I have never seen it break its pledge.

وفي وَصْلها أمس الشّقاءُ مُيَسّراً

وفي وَصْلها أمس الشّقاءُ مُيَسّراً

وجاوزَ في تَيسيرهِ غايةَ الجَهْدِ

وجاوزَ في تَيسيرهِ غايةَ الجَهْدِ

In union with her, misery itself became easy,

And yesterday, in union with her, hardship was eased,

And her easing of it surpassed the utmost reach of effort.

and in its easing it went beyond the utmost toil.

ولم أرَ وَجْهاُ قبلَها كُلَّ ساعَةٍ

ولم أرَ وَجْهاُ قبلَها كُلَّ ساعَةٍ

على التّربِ ألقاها مَعفّرَةَ الخَدِّ

على التّربِ ألقاها مَعفّرَةَ الخَدِّ

Never before her did I see a face that, at every hour,

Before her I had never seen such a face; every hour

I meet upon the dust, its cheek begrimed.

I find her upon the dust, her cheek dust-covered.

وَمن عَجَبي أني إذا ما وَطِئتُها

وَمن عَجَبي أني إذا ما وَطِئتُها

تَئنُّ أنيناً دونَه أنّةُ الوَجدْ

تَئنُّ أنيناً دونَه أنّةُ الوَجدْ

And this is my wonder: whenever I tread upon her,

And what amazes me is that, whenever I tread on her,

She moans—a moan before which longing’s sigh pales.

she moans a moan beside which longing's moan falls short.

مباركةُ عِندي ولا بَرِحَتْ إذاً

مباركةُ عِندي ولا بَرِحَتْ إذاً

مُدّوَرةَ الكَعْبَينِ شُؤماً على ضِدِّ

مُدّوَرةَ الكَعْبَينِ شُؤماً على ضِدِّ

Blessed is she to me—and may she never cease to be so—

Blessed in my eyes; may she then never cease to be

Rounded at both heels, an evil omen to my foe.

round at both heels, an ill omen for a foe.