وعدت بوصل والزمان يسوف

وعدت بوصل والزمان يسوف

حوراء ناظرها حسام مرهف

حوراء ناظرها حسام مرهف

She promised union, while time keeps putting it off.

She promised union, while time keeps putting it off—

A dark-eyed beauty, whose glance is a keen-edged sword—

a wide, dark-eyed beauty whose gaze is a honed sword.

نشوانة خصباء منهل ثغرها

نشوانة خصباء منهل ثغرها

در وريقتها سلاف قرقف

در وريقتها سلاف قرقف

Intoxicating and lush, her mouth a watering place

She is tipsy and voluptuous; the spring of her mouth

Of pearls, her saliva the choicest aged wine.

is pearls, and her saliva the choicest strong wine.

يختال بين البدر منها والنقا

يختال بين البدر منها والنقا

غصن يميل به النسيم مهفهف

غصن يميل به النسيم مهفهف

Between her moon and the dune, there struts

Between her full moon and sand-dune sways

A slender branch that the breeze makes sway.

a slender branch that the breeze sets bending.

لا تحسبن الخلف شيمة مثلها

لا تحسبن الخلف شيمة مثلها

وعدت ولكن الليالي تخلف

وعدت ولكن الليالي تخلف

Do not suppose that breaking promises is the nature of one like her:

Do not think promise-breaking the habit of one like her;

She made the promise, but it is the nights that break it.

she promised, but the nights do not keep faith.

ومن البلية ان من احببته

ومن البلية ان من احببته

متعطف والدهر لا يتعطف

متعطف والدهر لا يتعطف

It is among affliction's cruelties that the one I love

And it is a misfortune that the one I love

Is tenderhearted, while fate will show no tenderness.

is tender, while fate shows no tenderness.

يا بانة قد اطلعت اغصانها

يا بانة قد اطلعت اغصانها

وردا جنيا باللواحظ يقطف

وردا جنيا باللواحظ يقطف

O moringa tree whose branches have put forth

O bān tree, whose branches have brought forth

Fresh roses, plucked by glances!

fresh roses, plucked with glances!

وغزالة يحكي الغزالة وجهها

وغزالة يحكي الغزالة وجهها

ويدير ناظرها الغزال الاهيف

ويدير ناظرها الغزال الاهيف

A gazelle whose face rivals the sun,

And O gazelle, whose face resembles the sun,

And whose eye makes the slender gazelle turn.

and whose gaze sets the slender gazelle turning.

ما تأمرين بمغرم تسطو به

ما تأمرين بمغرم تسطو به

اجفانك المرضى ولا يستنصف

اجفانك المرضى ولا يستنصف

What is your command concerning an enamored man whom

What do you decree for a lovesick man assailed

Your languid eyelids assail, while no one grants him justice?

by your languid eyelids, who seeks no redress?

ولربما اضحى ومن سطواته

ولربما اضحى ومن سطواته

آناف اطراف الذوابل ترعف

آناف اطراف الذوابل ترعف

Many a time, because of his onslaughts,

And often he spent the morning, his fierce assaults

The noses of slender spearheads were made to bleed;

making the noses of slender spearpoints bleed.

فاليوم يعجز عن لحاظك جهرة

فاليوم يعجز عن لحاظك جهرة

واخو الصبابة عاجز مستضعف

واخو الصبابة عاجز مستضعف

Yet today he is plainly powerless before your glances,

Yet today he is openly helpless before your glances;

And passion's devotee is helpless and brought low.

and longing's brother is helpless and deemed weak.

اما ووجهك فهو صبح مشرق

اما ووجهك فهو صبح مشرق

وسواد شعرك فهو ليل مسدف

وسواد شعرك فهو ليل مسدف

Indeed, by your face: it is a radiant dawn,

Indeed, by your face—it is a radiant dawn—

While the blackness of your hair is a darkening night.

and the blackness of your hair—it is a dark night—

ويهز غصن البان منك على النقا

ويهز غصن البان منك على النقا

ما لي الى احد سواك تشوف

ما لي الى احد سواك تشوف

Upon the dune, you sway a slender moringa branch;

and your bān branch, swayed above the sand-dune:

I have no yearning for anyone but you.

I yearn for no one but you.

فليهن حسنك والجدود مواهب

فليهن حسنك والجدود مواهب

اني به بين البرية اعرف

اني به بين البرية اعرف

May gifts bring joy to your beauty and good fortune—

So let your beauty rejoice—good fortunes are gifts—

For by it I am known among all humankind.

that through it I am known among humankind.

واكاد اسمو ان وصفت بذكره

واكاد اسمو ان وصفت بذكره

حتى كأني بالمعارف اوصف

حتى كأني بالمعارف اوصف

I nearly rise in stature when I am described through mention of it,

And I almost soar when it is mentioned in describing me,

Until it seems that I myself am being praised for virtues.

so that I seem to be described as learned.

ولقد اقول لعاذليّ على الهوى

ولقد اقول لعاذليّ على الهوى

والحب ينكره الذي لا يعرف

والحب ينكره الذي لا يعرف

Indeed, I say to my two reproachers for this passion—

And indeed I say to the two who reproach me for passion—

For only one who does not know love denies it—

and love is denied by whoever does not know it—

لو شممتها يرق الغرام علمتما

لو شممتها يرق الغرام علمتما

ان المتيم بالصبابة يشرف

ان المتيم بالصبابة يشرف

Were you to breathe in her scent, passion would grow tender; then you two would know

Had you smelled it—passion grows tender [wording unclear]—you two would have known

That one enthralled by ardor is thereby ennobled.

that the one enthralled by yearning grows noble.