أَرَقُّ من الماء لولا الشُّعَاع

أَرَقُّ من الماء لولا الشُّعَاع

لأَفْنَتْهُ رَشْفاً شفاه المُقَلْ

لأَفْنَتْهُ رَشْفاً شفاه المُقَلْ

More delicate than water—were it not for the radiance,

More delicate than water, if not for the radiance -

the lips of the eyes would sip him into nothingness.

I would have extinguished it with a sip, lips of the infatuated one.

وكالنّار من وَهَج تِيه الصَّبا

وكالنّار من وَهَج تِيه الصَّبا

فلولا تبسُّمه لاشْتَعَلْ

فلولا تبسُّمه لاشْتَعَلْ

And like fire, from the blaze of youth's pride—

And like fire from the blaze of his passion’s delirium -

so, were it not for his smile, he would burst into flame.

If not for his smile, it would have ignited.