كَأَنَّ عَينيَّ إِذ وَلَّت حُمولُهُمُ

كَأَنَّ عَينيَّ إِذ وَلَّت حُمولُهُمُ

مِنّي جَناحا حَمامٍ صادَفا مَطَرا

مِنّي جَناحا حَمامٍ صادَفا مَطَرا

As though my eyes, when their laden camels departed

As if my eyes, when their caravan turned from me,

from me, were a dove’s two wings that had met with rain,

Were a dove's wings that met a rain cloud,

أَوَ لؤلؤٌ سَلسٌ في عِقدِ جاريَةٍ

أَوَ لؤلؤٌ سَلسٌ في عِقدِ جاريَةٍ

وَرهاءَ نازَعَها الوِلدانُ فاِنتَثَرا

وَرهاءَ نازَعَها الوِلدانُ فاِنتَثَرا

or loose-strung pearls in a maiden’s necklace—

Or smooth pearls in a maiden's necklace

a foolish girl whom the boys tussled with, so the pearls scattered.

That playing children struggled for and scattered.