بِنَفسِيَ وَالهيمَانُ في الحسنِ يُعذَرُ

بِنَفسِيَ وَالهيمَانُ في الحسنِ يُعذَرُ

وَذَنبُ التَسَلّي في الهَوى لَيسَ يُغفَرُ

وَذَنبُ التَسَلّي في الهَوى لَيسَ يُغفَرُ

By my soul, infatuation with beauty may be excused;

I would ransom her with my life—one mad for beauty is excused,

But the sin of seeking oblivion in love is never forgiven.

and the sin of seeking solace in love is not forgiven.

جَمالٌ أَطالَ الهائِمُونَ صَبابَةً

جَمالٌ أَطالَ الهائِمُونَ صَبابَةً

بِهِ وَرآهُ اللائِمُونَ فَأَقصَرُوا

بِهِ وَرآهُ اللائِمُونَ فَأَقصَرُوا

A beauty by whom the love-distraught have prolonged my yearning—

A beauty—the lovesick have long sustained their yearning

For whom the reproachers, once they saw her, ceased their blame.

for it; the reproachers beheld it and ceased their blame.

مُحَيّا يُحيّى بِالنُفوسِ إِذا بَدا

مُحَيّا يُحيّى بِالنُفوسِ إِذا بَدا

وَيُتحَفُ بالأَرواحِ ساعَةَ يُنظَرُ

وَيُتحَفُ بالأَرواحِ ساعَةَ يُنظَرُ

A countenance saluted with souls whenever it appears,

A face saluted with lives whenever it appears,

And offered souls as gifts the moment it casts a glance.

and gifted with souls the moment it is seen.

تَكامَلَ كُلُّ الحُسنِ فِيهِ فَقَد أَرى

تَكامَلَ كُلُّ الحُسنِ فِيهِ فَقَد أَرى

وَعِندِيَ كُلُّ الحُبّ أَنّي مُقَصِّرُ

وَعِندِيَ كُلُّ الحُبّ أَنّي مُقَصِّرُ

Every beauty has attained perfection in her; yet I see

All beauty has reached perfection in it; indeed, I see,

That, for all my love, I still fall short of doing her justice.

though all love is mine, that I fall short.

وَبِي مِن ظِباءِ الإِنسِ ذاتُ لَواحظٍ

وَبِي مِن ظِباءِ الإِنسِ ذاتُ لَواحظٍ

تَعَلَّم هارُوتٌ بِها كَيفَ يَسحَرُ

تَعَلَّم هارُوتٌ بِها كَيفَ يَسحَرُ

I am enthralled by one of humankind’s gazelles, possessed of glances

And I am smitten with one of humankind's gazelles, whose glances

From which Harut learned how to bewitch.

taught Harut how to bewitch.

مُهَفهَفَةُ الأَلحاظِ تَنآدُ في الحِلى

مُهَفهَفَةُ الأَلحاظِ تَنآدُ في الحِلى

كَما ماسَ غُصنٌ ناعِمٌ وَهُوَ مُزهِرُ

كَما ماسَ غُصنٌ ناعِمٌ وَهُوَ مُزهِرُ

Slender and languid-eyed, she sways beneath her ornaments

Delicate of glance, she sways in her jewels,

As sways a tender bough while it is in bloom.

as a tender branch sways while in bloom.

مُحَجّبَةٌ لَو طالَع البَدرُ خِدرَها

مُحَجّبَةٌ لَو طالَع البَدرُ خِدرَها

رَأى أَنّ بَدرَ الأَرضِ أَبهى وَأَبهَرُ

رَأى أَنّ بَدرَ الأَرضِ أَبهى وَأَبهَرُ

So closely veiled that, if the full moon peered into her chamber,

She is veiled; if the full moon looked into her secluded chamber,

It would see that earth’s full moon was fairer and more dazzling.

it would see that earth's full moon is lovelier and more dazzling.

تَلُوحُ بِها شَمسٌ وَتَرتاحُ خُوطَةٌ

تَلُوحُ بِها شَمسٌ وَتَرتاحُ خُوطَةٌ

وَيَسجَعُ قُمرِيّ وَيَلحَظُ جُؤذَرُ

وَيَسجَعُ قُمرِيّ وَيَلحَظُ جُؤذَرُ

Within her a sun shines, and a supple sapling sways;

In her a sun shines, and a slender twig stirs with delight,

A ringdove warbles, and a young gazelle casts glances.

and a turtledove coos, and an antelope calf casts glances.

وَتُزهِرُ مِنها بِالمَحاسِنِ روضَةٌ

وَتُزهِرُ مِنها بِالمَحاسِنِ روضَةٌ

وَلَكنّها بِالوَصلِ لِي لَيسَ تُثمِرُ

وَلَكنّها بِالوَصلِ لِي لَيسَ تُثمِرُ

From her, with every lovely grace, a garden blooms,

And from her a garden blossoms with charms,

Yet for me it bears no fruit of union.

yet it yields me no fruit of union.

هِلال مُحيّاها تَخالَفَ حُكمُهُ

هِلال مُحيّاها تَخالَفَ حُكمُهُ

بِمَرآهُ صامَ الخصرُ وَالرِدفُ يُفطِرُ

بِمَرآهُ صامَ الخصرُ وَالرِدفُ يُفطِرُ

Her face, a crescent, defies the crescent’s accustomed law:

The crescent of her face gives conflicting decrees:

At sight of it the waist fasts, while the haunch breaks its fast.

at its sight her waist fasts, while her buttocks break their fast.

تُرِيكَ غَزالَ القَفرِ جِيداً وَمُقلَةً

تُرِيكَ غَزالَ القَفرِ جِيداً وَمُقلَةً

فَنفرَتُها عَن عاشِقٍ لَيسَ تُنكَرُ

فَنفرَتُها عَن عاشِقٍ لَيسَ تُنكَرُ

In neck and eye she shows you a desert gazelle,

She shows you the desert gazelle in neck and eye,

So that she shies from a lover is no wonder.

so her shying away from a lover is no surprise.

لَها مِعطَفٌ لَو عَلّمَ اللينَ قَلبَها

لَها مِعطَفٌ لَو عَلّمَ اللينَ قَلبَها

لَما باتَ قَلبِي لَوعَةً يَتَفَطَّرُ

لَما باتَ قَلبِي لَوعَةً يَتَفَطَّرُ

She has a supple waist—if only it had taught her heart to yield,

She has a supple figure; had it taught her heart softness,

My heart would not spend the night breaking from burning pangs.

my heart would not have spent the night splitting with anguish.

وَجسمٌ نُضارِيّ يَكادُ نَضارَةً

وَجسمٌ نُضارِيّ يَكادُ نَضارَةً

يُؤثِّرُ فيهِ أَن أَقولَ يُؤثِّرُ

يُؤثِّرُ فيهِ أَن أَقولَ يُؤثِّرُ

And a golden body so delicate that it is nearly marked

And a body like pure gold, so fresh and tender it could almost

Merely when I say of it, “It takes a mark.”

be marked merely by my saying, 'It leaves a mark.'

وَخَدٌّ إِذا فَكّرتُ في رِقّةٍ بِهِ

وَخَدٌّ إِذا فَكّرتُ في رِقّةٍ بِهِ

تَخَوّفتُ أَن يُدمِيهِ ذاكَ التَفَكُّرُ

تَخَوّفتُ أَن يُدمِيهِ ذاكَ التَفَكُّرُ

And a cheek—whenever I think upon its delicacy,

And a cheek—when I reflect upon its delicacy,

I fear that very thought may make it bleed.

I fear that the very thought might make it bleed.

وَطَرفٌ حَكى في الضَعفِ حُجّة لائِمي

وَطَرفٌ حَكى في الضَعفِ حُجّة لائِمي

عَلى الحُبِّ أَو صَبرِي لَها حينَ تَهجُرُ

عَلى الحُبِّ أَو صَبرِي لَها حينَ تَهجُرُ

An eye whose languor resembles the weakness of a reproacher’s case

And an eye that matches in weakness my reproacher's argument

Against love—or the weakness of my patience when she shuns me.

against love—or my patience with her when she forsakes me.

يُسَهِّدُ أَجفانَ الوَرى وَهُوَ نائِمٌ

يُسَهِّدُ أَجفانَ الوَرى وَهُوَ نائِمٌ

وَيَهدِي لِنَهج العِشقِ وَهوَ مُحَيَّرُ

وَيَهدِي لِنَهج العِشقِ وَهوَ مُحَيَّرُ

It keeps all mortal eyelids wakeful, though itself asleep,

It keeps humankind's eyelids sleepless, though itself asleep,

And guides along love’s path while itself bewildered.

and guides to the path of love, though itself bewildered.

كَحِيلٌ وَلَكن زادَ بِالكحلِ صَولَةً

كَحِيلٌ وَلَكن زادَ بِالكحلِ صَولَةً

كَما صُقِلَ الهِنديُّ وَهوَ مُجَوهَرُ

كَما صُقِلَ الهِنديُّ وَهوَ مُجَوهَرُ

Naturally dark-lashed; kohl only heightened its assault,

Naturally kohl-dark, yet kohl has heightened its fierceness,

As an Indian sword is burnished though already of watered steel.

as an Indian blade is polished though already finely patterned.

وَتبسِمُ عَن أَلمى كَأنّ نِظامَهُ

وَتبسِمُ عَن أَلمى كَأنّ نِظامَهُ

عَقيقٌ وَدُرٌّ بِالزَبَرجَدِ يَهترُ

عَقيقٌ وَدُرٌّ بِالزَبَرجَدِ يَهترُ

She smiles, revealing a dark-lipped mouth whose ordered row seems

And she smiles, revealing a dark-lipped mouth, whose array seems

Carnelian and pearls adorned with emerald.

carnelian and pearls that put chrysolite to shame.

تَجَسَّمَ فِيهِ النُورُ نَوراً يَعُلُّهُ

تَجَسَّمَ فِيهِ النُورُ نَوراً يَعُلُّهُ

زُلالٌ وَجِريالٌ وَشَهدٌ وَعَنبَرُ

زُلالٌ وَجِريالٌ وَشَهدٌ وَعَنبَرُ

Within it light takes bodily form as flowers, continually bathed in

Light takes bodily form within it as blossom, watered by

Pure water, wine, honey, and ambergris.

clear water, red wine, honey, and ambergris.

يَرُوقُ اِبتِساماً وَانتِساماً كَأَنَّهُ

يَرُوقُ اِبتِساماً وَانتِساماً كَأَنَّهُ

صَباحٌ مُنِيرٌ أَو أَقاحٌ مُنَوِّرُ

صَباحٌ مُنِيرٌ أَو أَقاحٌ مُنَوِّرُ

It enchants as a smile—and what a smile!—as though it were

It delights with its smile and fragrant breath, as though it were

A radiant dawn, or daisies all aglow.

a radiant morning or daisies in bloom.

قَضَت لِذَمائِي أَن يَذوبَ مِن الظَما

قَضَت لِذَمائِي أَن يَذوبَ مِن الظَما

وَفِي المرشَفِ الأَحلى رَحِيقٌ وَكَوثَرُ

وَفِي المرشَفِ الأَحلى رَحِيقٌ وَكَوثَرُ

She has decreed that the last remnant of my life dissolve from thirst,

She decreed that my last remnant of life should melt from thirst,

Though her sweetest lips hold nectar and the river Kawthar.

while her sweetest lips hold nectar and Kawthar.

وَهَل يَرتَوِي مَن حامَ وَاللَحظ قَد حَمى

وَهَل يَرتَوِي مَن حامَ وَاللَحظ قَد حَمى

أَيورَدُ عَذبٌ فَوقَهُ العَضبُ يُشهَرُ

أَيورَدُ عَذبٌ فَوقَهُ العَضبُ يُشهَرُ

Can one hovering around them ever drink his fill, when her glance has barred the way?

And can one hovering nearby drink his fill, while her gaze stands guard?

Can sweet water be approached when a keen sword is brandished above it?

Can sweet water be reached when a sharp sword is brandished above it?

وَيَسكَرُ مَن تُروِيه خَمرٌ وَها أَنا

وَيَسكَرُ مَن تُروِيه خَمرٌ وَها أَنا

لِخَمرِ اللَمى ظامٍ فَما لي أَسكَرُ

لِخَمرِ اللَمى ظامٍ فَما لي أَسكَرُ

A man grows drunk when wine gives him drink; yet here am I,

And whoever wine quenches grows drunk; yet here I am,

Thirsting for the wine of a dark-red mouth—why, then, am I drunk?

thirsting for the wine of her dusky lips—why am I drunk?

وَلَمّا تَساوَت في البَهاءِ عُقودُها

وَلَمّا تَساوَت في البَهاءِ عُقودُها

وَأَلفاظُها لَم أَدرِ وَالكُلُّ جَوهَرُ

وَأَلفاظُها لَم أَدرِ وَالكُلُّ جَوهَرُ

When her necklaces and her words became equal in splendor,

And when equal in splendor were her necklaces

I could not tell—for every one of them is a jewel—

and her words, I could not tell—for all were jewels—

هَل العِقدُ مِن ذاكَ الكَلام مُنَظّمٌ

هَل العِقدُ مِن ذاكَ الكَلام مُنَظّمٌ

أَم اللَفظُ مِن تِلكَ القَلائِد يُنثَرُ

أَم اللَفظُ مِن تِلكَ القَلائِد يُنثَرُ

Whether the necklace had been strung from that speech,

whether the necklace was strung from that speech,

Or the words were scattered from those strings of gems.

or speech was scattered from those necklaces.

فَيا عاذِلي فيها التَفِت مِن صِفاتِها

فَيا عاذِلي فيها التَفِت مِن صِفاتِها

إِلى أَربَعٍ فيها تَهِيمُ وَتَعذِرُ

إِلى أَربَعٍ فيها تَهِيمُ وَتَعذِرُ

So, O my reproacher concerning her, turn your mind among her qualities

So, you who blame me for her, consider among her qualities

To four: through them, lose your reason—and excuse me.

four: you will be enraptured by her, and excuse me.

يَشُوقُكَ مَعسُولٌ وَيَسبِيك أَغيَدٌ

يَشُوقُكَ مَعسُولٌ وَيَسبِيك أَغيَدٌ

وَيُصبِيكَ مَيّاسٌ وَيُصمِيكَ أَحوَرُ

وَيُصبِيكَ مَيّاسٌ وَيُصمِيكَ أَحوَرُ

Honeyed speech attracts you, and a languid grace takes you captive;

Her honeyed sweetness draws you; her supple grace takes you captive,

A swaying gait infatuates you, and a wide dark eye strikes you dead.

her swaying infatuates you; her eyes, black against white, strike you dead.