طالعتُه دون الصباح صباحاً

طالعتُه دون الصباح صباحاً

لما جَلَتْ غُرَرَ البيان صِبَاحَا

لما جَلَتْ غُرَرَ البيان صِبَاحَا

I read it—a dawn before the dawn—

I saw him before dawn one morning

when she unveiled eloquence’s fair, radiant faces.

When the deceits of eloquence were unveiled

ولقد رأيتُ وما رأيت كحسنها

ولقد رأيتُ وما رأيت كحسنها

وجهاً أغرَّ ومبسماً وضَّاحا

وجهاً أغرَّ ومبسماً وضَّاحا

And indeed I have seen, yet never seen beauty like hers:

And I have seen - and never seen - beauty like hers

a radiant face and a gleaming smile.

A face more captivating, with a blossoming smile

عذراء أَرضعها البيان لبانَهُ

عذراء أَرضعها البيان لبانَهُ

وأطال مَغدىً عندها ومَرَاحَا

وأطال مَغدىً عندها ومَرَاحَا

A virgin maiden whom Eloquence suckled with his milk,

A virgin nurtured on the milk of eloquence

and lingered long with her, morning and evening.

Whose bed was prolonged in her presence and comfort

فأتت كما شاءت وشاء نجيبها

فأتت كما شاءت وشاء نجيبها

تُذكي الحجى وتُنعِّم الأرواحَا

تُذكي الحجى وتُنعِّم الأرواحَا

So she came forth as she wished, and as her noble one wished,

She came as she pleased, and as her noble nature pleased

kindling the intellect and delighting souls.

Kindling conversation and delighting souls

لا بَلْ كمثلِ الروضِ باكره الحَيَا

لا بَلْ كمثلِ الروضِ باكره الحَيَا

وسقى به زهر الكمام فَفَاحَا

وسقى به زهر الكمام فَفَاحَا

No—rather, like a garden the rain visited early,

Nay, like a garden in first youth

and watered the blossoms in their calyxes there, so they breathed fragrance.

Watered, till the buds of chamomile burst open

وطوت بساط الشوق مني بعدما

وطوت بساط الشوق مني بعدما

نَشَرَتُ عليَّ من القبول جَناحَا

نَشَرَتُ عليَّ من القبول جَناحَا

And she rolled up my carpet of longing after

She folded the carpet of longing after

I had spread over myself a wing of acceptance.

Spreading over me the wing of acceptance