تُمسي تُذَكِّرُنا الشَبابَ وَعهدهُ

تُمسي تُذَكِّرُنا الشَبابَ وَعهدهُ

حَسناءُ مُرهَقةُ القَوامِ فنَذكُر

حَسناءُ مُرهَقةُ القَوامِ فنَذكُر

At evening, she reminds us of youth and its days—

She spends the evening reminding us of youth and its days—

a beauty, slender of form—and so we remember.

A beauty, weary of frame—and we remember.

هَيفاءُ أَسكَرَها الجمالُ وَبعضُ ما

هَيفاءُ أَسكَرَها الجمالُ وَبعضُ ما

أوفى على قدرِ الكِفايَةِ يُسكِرُ

أوفى على قدرِ الكِفايَةِ يُسكِرُ

Slender-waisted, beauty has intoxicated her; and some

Slender-waisted, beauty has intoxicated her; and some of what

of what exceeds mere sufficiency can intoxicate.

Exceeds the measure of sufficiency intoxicates.

تَثِبُ القُلوبُ إلى الرءوس إذا بَدت

تَثِبُ القُلوبُ إلى الرءوس إذا بَدت

وَتُطِلُّ من حدقِ العُيونِ وَتنظُرُ

وَتُطِلُّ من حدقِ العُيونِ وَتنظُرُ

Hearts leap up into heads whenever she appears,

Hearts leap to heads when she appears,

and peer out through the pupils of the eyes and gaze.

And peer out from the pupils of the eyes and gaze.

وَتبيتُ تكفُرُ بالنُحورِ قلائِدٌ

وَتبيتُ تكفُرُ بالنُحورِ قلائِدٌ

فَإِذا دنَت من نَحرِها تَستَغفِرُ

فَإِذا دنَت من نَحرِها تَستَغفِرُ

Necklaces spend the night renouncing all other necks,

And necklaces spend the night disbelieving in necks;

but when they draw near her throat, they beg forgiveness.

Then, when they draw near her neck, they seek forgiveness.

وَتَزيدُ في فَمِها اللآلىءُ قيمةً

وَتَزيدُ في فَمِها اللآلىءُ قيمةً

حتّى يسودُ كبيرَهُنَّ الأَصغَرُ

حتّى يسودُ كبيرَهُنَّ الأَصغَرُ

And pearls increase in value within her mouth,

And in her mouth the pearls increase in value,

until the smallest of them reigns over the greatest.

Until the smallest reigns over their largest.