وجاءت تدافع مشي القطاة

وجاءت تدافع مشي القطاة

فتاة النصارى بحرّ البرود

فتاة النصارى بحرّ البرود

And she came, her gait vying with the sandgrouse’s—

And she came, rivaling the sandgrouse's gait,

a Christian maiden in the choicest of robes.

The Christian maiden in the finest striped robes,

زرود فهلا تريح المطي

زرود فهلا تريح المطي

بوادي الخزامى وجنبي زرود

بوادي الخزامى وجنبي زرود

Zarud—why not give the mounts their rest

Zarud—why not give the riding camels rest

in Wadi al-Khuzama, on either flank of Zarud?

In the lavender valley and on either side of Zarud?

تخوض الجداول في زورق

تخوض الجداول في زورق

يشقُّ بمسراه عذب الورود

يشقُّ بمسراه عذب الورود

She crosses the streams in a skiff

She traverses the streams in a skiff

whose course cleaves water sweet to approach.

That cleaves, in its passage, water sweet to drink.

تملّ كنائس بطريقها

تملّ كنائس بطريقها

لتجزي المحب بنجز الوعود

لتجزي المحب بنجز الوعود

She grows weary of churches along her way,

She tires of her patriarch's churches,

that she may reward her lover by keeping her promises.

To reward the lover by fulfilling the promises.

تشير سرارا بحمر الأكف

تشير سرارا بحمر الأكف

وتبدو جهاراً ببيض الخدود

وتبدو جهاراً ببيض الخدود

Secretly she signals with crimson palms,

She gestures secretly with red palms,

and openly appears with radiant white cheeks.

And appears openly with white cheeks.

تدير السلافة نشوانة

تدير السلافة نشوانة

وتفترُّ عن خصر ذي برود

وتفترُّ عن خصر ذي برود

Tipsy, she passes around the choicest wine,

She passes round the choice wine, tipsy,

and smiles, revealing a mouth of refreshing coolness.

And smiles, revealing a cool, refreshing mouth.

تحنّ إليّ حنين النياق

تحنّ إليّ حنين النياق

وتحنو عليَّ حنوَّ الولود

وتحنو عليَّ حنوَّ الولود

She yearns for me with the yearning of she-camels,

She yearns for me as she-camels yearn,

and bends over me with a mother’s tenderness.

And bends over me with a mother's tenderness.

وتعدو تسحُّ عقيق الدموع

وتعدو تسحُّ عقيق الدموع

على النحر فوق جمان العقود

على النحر فوق جمان العقود

She hastens on, streaming agate-red tears

And runs, pouring out carnelian tears

down her breast, over the pearl strands of her necklaces.

Upon her breast, above the pearls of her necklaces.

ومن طوَّق الناس إحسانه

ومن طوَّق الناس إحسانه

كطوق الحمائم نعمى وجود

كطوق الحمائم نعمى وجود

And he whose beneficence has encircled all mankind

And he whose kindness has garlanded people,

as collars encircle doves—with blessing and bounty—

Like doves' neck-rings, with blessings and bounty—

تزاحمت الوفد في بابه

تزاحمت الوفد في بابه

فهم في فناه قيام قعود

فهم في فناه قيام قعود

delegations throng one another at his door;

Delegations have thronged at his gate;

there in his courtyard, some stand and some sit.

So in his courtyard they stand and sit.

ترمُّ الركاب إلى مورد

ترمُّ الركاب إلى مورد

رقيق المشارب عذب الورود

رقيق المشارب عذب الورود

The caravans press toward a watering place

The riding camels make for a watering place,

whose draughts are gentle and whose approach is sweet:

Delicate in its draughts, sweet to drink from.

فتىً ساد أقرانه سوددا

فتىً ساد أقرانه سوددا

ولا عجب مثله أن يسود

ولا عجب مثله أن يسود

a young nobleman who surpassed his peers in lordly eminence;

A youth who surpassed his peers in nobility;

no wonder one such as he should rule.

And no wonder that one like him should excel.

ففي الحلم أحلم من أحنف

ففي الحلم أحلم من أحنف

وفي المجد جاوز أقصى الحدود

وفي المجد جاوز أقصى الحدود

In forbearance he is more forbearing than al-Ahnaf himself;

For in forbearance he is more forbearing than Ahnaf,

in glory he has passed the furthest bounds.

And in glory he has surpassed the farthest bounds.