ودُونَكَها مِثْلَ شَكْلِ النُّهودِ

ودُونَكَها مِثْلَ شَكْلِ النُّهودِ

وقَدْ ضُمِّخَتْ باحْمِرارِ الخُدودِ

وقَدْ ضُمِّخَتْ باحْمِرارِ الخُدودِ

And take it, shaped like breasts,

Her cheeks like ripe pomegranates

And already anointed with the blush of cheeks,

Flushed with pink blush

كَرَيَّا الحَبِيبِ ومَرْأى المُرِيْبِ

كَرَيَّا الحَبِيبِ ومَرْأى المُرِيْبِ

وطَعْمِ الرِّضى بَعد طُولِ الصُّدودِ

وطَعْمِ الرِّضى بَعد طُولِ الصُّدودِ

Like the beloved’s scent and the sight of one who arouses doubt,

The beloved's joy and suspicious glances

And the taste of acceptance after long rejection.

And the taste of contentment after prolonged aloofness

أتَتْكَ تُردِّدُ طِيبَ ثَنائي

أتَتْكَ تُردِّدُ طِيبَ ثَنائي

وإنْ قَصَّرتْ عَن مَداهُ البَعيدِ

وإنْ قَصَّرتْ عَن مَداهُ البَعيدِ

It has come to you repeating the sweetness of my praise,

Come to you repeating my words of praise

Though it falls short of its far-reaching scope.

Though they fall short of full extent

وتَفْتَرُّ عن مثْلِ طَعْمِ وِدادي

وتَفْتَرُّ عن مثْلِ طَعْمِ وِدادي

لِتِلْكَ الحُلى والجَمال الفَريدِ

لِتِلْكَ الحُلى والجَمال الفَريدِ

And it smiles, revealing a flavor like that of my affection

And shy from equaling my affection

For those adornments and that peerless beauty.

For that exquisite beauty and singular grace

فإنْ خَجلَت أوْ عَراها حَياءٌ

فإنْ خَجلَت أوْ عَراها حَياءٌ

فمِنْ أجْلِ تَقصيرِها عَنْ مَزِيدِ

فمِنْ أجْلِ تَقصيرِها عَنْ مَزِيدِ

So if it blushes, or shyness overtakes it,

If embarrassed or too modest

Then it is because it falls short of something more.

It is because they cannot fully express