فتنَ الروح بسحر الحدق

فتنَ الروح بسحر الحدق

أغيد قد فاق بدر الأفق

أغيد قد فاق بدر الأفق

He bewitched the soul with the magic of his eyes—

The spirit was captivated by the magic of the glance,

a supple youth who surpassed the full moon on the horizon.

Singing, it surpassed the full moon on the horizon,

وسطا بالقدّ في عشاقه

وسطا بالقدّ في عشاقه

فتلاشى ما بهم من رمق

فتلاشى ما بهم من رمق

And with his figure he assailed his lovers,

Walking proudly among his lovers,

so what little life remained in them faded away.

So their vigor faded away.

لاح والزّمط على جبهته

لاح والزّمط على جبهته

خِلته بدراً بدا في الشفق

خِلته بدراً بدا في الشفق

He appeared with the cap upon his brow;

Lightning flashed on his forehead,

I thought him a full moon appearing in the twilight.

His beauty seemed a full moon rising at dusk.

ثم نحّى الزمط عن طرّته

ثم نحّى الزمط عن طرّته

قلت بل بدر سرى في الغسق

قلت بل بدر سرى في الغسق

Then he moved the cap away from his forelock;

Then the lightning receded from his face,

I said, “Rather, a full moon traveling through night’s darkness.”

I said no, but a full moon set into the darkness.

أطلق الصّب أسيراً فاعجَبَن

أطلق الصّب أسيراً فاعجَبَن

لأسير في التصابي مطلق

لأسير في التصابي مطلق

He set the lovesick lover free, yet captive—so marvel

He unleashed captivity like a captive, so I was astonished -

at a captive set free in love’s dalliance.

A captive amidst hugs is set free.

لان قداً وكذا قلباً فذا

لان قداً وكذا قلباً فذا

فاق في خَلق وذا في خُلُق

فاق في خَلق وذا في خُلُق

His figure was supple, his heart likewise tender: the one

He has a tall stature and likewise a heart, superior

excelled in outward form, the other in character.

In creation and in manners.

وهو مع ذلك يسطو صَلَفاً

وهو مع ذلك يسطو صَلَفاً

قطّ بالعُشّاق لم يرتفق

قطّ بالعُشّاق لم يرتفق

Yet for all that, he tyrannizes in his arrogance;

Yet with that he walks with arrogance,

never has he shown gentleness to his lovers.

Never gentle with lovers.

كلما رُمتُ عناقاً قال لي

كلما رُمتُ عناقاً قال لي

فيه إثم قلت ذا في عُنقي

فيه إثم قلت ذا في عُنقي

Whenever I sought an embrace, he said to me,

Whenever I tried to embrace him, he would say:

“There is sin in it.” I said, “That is on my neck.”

“There is sin in this.” I said “It is around my neck.”

بإله الناس قد عوّذته

بإله الناس قد عوّذته

في البرايا وبربّ الفلق

في البرايا وبربّ الفلق

I have sought protection for him with the God of mankind,

By the God of mankind I have protected him

among created beings, and with the Lord of daybreak.

In the wild and by the Lord of the dawn.