يا غصن بان إِنَّ لي غصنَ آسْ

يا غصن بان إِنَّ لي غصنَ آسْ

مِسْتَ فما أَشْبَهْتَهُ حين مَاسْ

مِسْتَ فما أَشْبَهْتَهُ حين مَاسْ

O bough of the bān tree, truly I have a bough of myrtle;

O bough of bān, indeed I have a bough of myrtle.

You swayed—and how you resembled it when it swayed!

You swayed, but did not resemble it when it swayed:

أَلينُ عطْفاً منك معْ خُضْرةٍ

أَلينُ عطْفاً منك معْ خُضْرةٍ

فيه وأَنفاسٌ كأَنفاسِ كَاسْ

فيه وأَنفاسٌ كأَنفاسِ كَاسْ

More supple in its bending than you, with a greenness

More supple in its bearing than you, with greenness

In it, and breaths like the breaths of a wine-cup.

Within it, and breaths like the breaths of a wine cup.