وجفنَينِ أوْفَى بالمنِيَّة فيهما

وجفنَينِ أوْفَى بالمنِيَّة فيهما

عليكَ من الغزلان وَسْنانُ أحْوَرُ

عليكَ من الغزلان وَسْنانُ أحْوَرُ

Two sheaths, in both of which death is fully assured,

And with two sheaths, bearing death in both, there loomed

are borne against you by a drowsy, dark-eyed gazelle:

Over you a drowsy, dark-eyed gazelle.

فَجَفنٌ له عَضْبٌ منَ اللَّحظِ مُرْهَفٌ

فَجَفنٌ له عَضْبٌ منَ اللَّحظِ مُرْهَفٌ

وَجَفْنٌ به ماضٍ من الهند مُبْتِرُ

وَجَفْنٌ به ماضٍ من الهند مُبْتِرُ

one lid holds a cutting sword, honed from a glance,

One eyelid holds a keenly honed sword of glances;

and one sheath holds a keen, severing blade from India.

The other sheath holds a cleaving blade from India.

وأمضاهما حدّاً فلا تغتررْ به

وأمضاهما حدّاً فلا تغتررْ به

غِرَارُ الَّذي فيه من السّحْرِ جَوْهَرُ

غِرَارُ الَّذي فيه من السّحْرِ جَوْهَرُ

Yet the keener-edged of the two—make no mistake—

And the sharper-edged of the two—do not be deceived by it—

is the blade whose very substance is sorcery.

Is the edge of the one that holds a jewel of magic.