أنتِ تدرين أنني ذو لُبانَهْ

أنتِ تدرين أنني ذو لُبانَهْ

الهوى يستثيرُ فيَّ المَجانَهْ

الهوى يستثيرُ فيَّ المَجانَهْ

You know that I am a man of longing.

You know I am one whose desire

Passion stirs wantonness within me.

Is stirred up and roused in me,

وقوافيَّ مثلَ حُسنك لما

وقوافيَّ مثلَ حُسنك لما

تَتَعرَّينَ حرّةٌ عُريانة

تَتَعرَّينَ حرّةٌ عُريانة

And my rhymes, like your beauty when

And whose rhymes are like your beauty -

you undress, are free and naked.

When it reveals itself, naked and free,

وإذا الحبُّ ثار فيَّ فلا تَمْنَعُ

وإذا الحبُّ ثار فيَّ فلا تَمْنَعُ

أيُّ احتشامة ثوَرَانه

أيُّ احتشامة ثوَرَانه

And when love erupts within me, no

And when love rises in me, do not forbid

modesty can prevent its eruption.

Whatever passion its eruption may be,

فلماذا تُحاولين بأنْ أعلنَ

فلماذا تُحاولين بأنْ أعلنَ

ما يُنكِرُ الورى إعلانه

ما يُنكِرُ الورى إعلانه

So why do you try to make me declare

Why then do you try and make me proclaim

what humankind condemns being declared?

What the world would disown me for saying?

ولماذا تُهيِّجِين من الشاعِر

ولماذا تُهيِّجِين من الشاعِر

أغفى إحساسُهُ ، بركانه

أغفى إحساسُهُ ، بركانه

And why do you rouse the poet’s

And why do you stir the poet in me

volcano, while his feeling lies asleep?

When his feeling was dormant and tame?

لا تقولي تجهُّمٌ وانقباضٌ

لا تقولي تجهُّمٌ وانقباضٌ

بُغَّضا منه وجهَه ولسانه

بُغَّضا منه وجهَه ولسانه

Do not say that scowling and reserve

Do not say I frown and withdraw,

have made his face and tongue repellent.

Turning away my face and my tongue,

فهما ثورةٌ على الدهر منّي

فهما ثورةٌ على الدهر منّي

كجَواد لا يرتضي مَيدانه

كجَواد لا يرتضي مَيدانه

For they are my rebellion against time,

For these are a revolt against fate in me,

like a steed dissatisfied with its arena.

Like a steed that disdains the course.

أنا في مجلسٍ يضمُّكِ نشوانُ

أنا في مجلسٍ يضمُّكِ نشوانُ

سروراً كأنني في حانه

سروراً كأنني في حانه

In a gathering that includes you, I am intoxicated

In your presence I'm joyous and blithe

with joy, as though I were in a tavern.

As though I were reveling in a tavern,

لوتُحسيِّنَ ما أحسُّ إذا رجَّفْتِ

لوتُحسيِّنَ ما أحسُّ إذا رجَّفْتِ

في الرَّقص بطنَك الخمصانه

في الرَّقص بطنَك الخمصانه

If only you felt what I feel when you shake

If you knew how I feel when you dance

your slender belly in the dance—

And your belly quivers, so soft and lush,

رجفة لا تمسُّ ما بين رفْغَيْكِ

رجفة لا تمسُّ ما بين رفْغَيْكِ

وتُبقي الصدرَ الجميلَ مكانه

وتُبقي الصدرَ الجميلَ مكانه

a tremor that does not touch what lies between your groin-folds,

A quiver that doesn't touch between your legs

and leaves your beautiful chest in place;

Or stir your lovely breasts from their place,

والذراعَينَ كلُّ ريانةٍ فعماءَ

والذراعَينَ كلُّ ريانةٍ فعماءَ

تََلْقى في فَعمةٍ رَيّانه

تََلْقى في فَعمةٍ رَيّانه

and your arms: each plump, full one

With your arms, so pliant, waving about

finds its match in another, full and plump;

Tossing in writhing, intoxicate grace,

والثُدِيَّيْنِ كلُّ رُمانة فرعاءَ

والثُدِيَّيْنِ كلُّ رُمانة فرعاءَ

تَهزا بأُختِها الرُمّانه

تَهزا بأُختِها الرُمّانه

and your breasts: each high-swelling pomegranate

And your breasts, two pomegranates, swaying

mocks its sister pomegranate.

Alongside their twin rosy shapes,

عاريا ظهرُك الرشيقُ تحبُ العينُ

عاريا ظهرُك الرشيقُ تحبُ العينُ

منه اتساقَهُ واتزانه

منه اتساقَهُ واتزانه

Your graceful back is bare; the eye loves

Your smooth bare back which the eye loves

its symmetry and balance.

For its form and exquisite balance,

ما به من نحافةٍ يُستَشَفُّ العظمُ

ما به من نحافةٍ يُستَشَفُّ العظمُ

منها ولا به من سَمانه

منها ولا به من سَمانه

There is no thinness in it through which bone shows,

Showing its slenderness, the bone discerned

nor is there any fatness in it.

Beneath, with no trace of fat to enhance,

خُصَّ بالمحض من بُلهَنَيةِ العَيشِ

خُصَّ بالمحض من بُلهَنَيةِ العَيشِ

وأُعطي من الصبا عنفوانه

وأُعطي من الصبا عنفوانه

It was favored with the purest ease of life,

Favored solely by youth's prime living

and granted the full vigor of youth.

And given its vigour and verve,

وتراه يجيء بين ظُهور الخُرَّدِ

وتراه يجيء بين ظُهور الخُرَّدِ

الغيدِ سابقاً أقرانه

الغيدِ سابقاً أقرانه

And you see it appear among the backs of bashful maidens—

Coming amidst the dainty sprites

those graceful women—outstripping its peers,

In play, outpacing its peers,

إذ تميلين يَمنة ويَساراً

إذ تميلين يَمنة ويَساراً

مثلما لاعبت صَباً خيزُرانه

مثلما لاعبت صَباً خيزُرانه

as you sway to the right and left,

As you sway gently left and right

as the east wind toys with a bamboo cane.

Like a slender branch in the breeze,

عندما تبسمين فينا فتفترُُّ

عندما تبسمين فينا فتفترُُّ

الشفاهُ اللطافُ عن أقحُوانه

الشفاهُ اللطافُ عن أقحُوانه

When you smile among us and part

When you smile at us your lips part

your delicate lips to reveal a chrysanthemum,

Sweetly, showing your teeth like pearls,

إذ يحار الراؤون في حُسنك الفتّانِ

إذ يحار الراؤون في حُسنك الفتّانِ

بل في ثيابك الفَتّانه

بل في ثيابك الفَتّانه

as onlookers are bewildered by your bewitching beauty—

While the watchers are lost in your beauty

rather, by your bewitching clothes.

And your clothes, even more beguiling,

رُب جسمٍ تُطرى الملاحةُ فيه

رُب جسمٍ تُطرى الملاحةُ فيه

ثم تَعدوه مُطرياً فُستانه

ثم تَعدوه مُطرياً فُستانه

Many a body is praised for its beauty,

Many a body is covered in fashion

then you pass it over, praising its dress.

Then adorned as a splendid garden,

ما به من نقيصةٍ وكأنّ الثوب

ما به من نقيصةٍ وكأنّ الثوب

أضحى متمماً نُقصانه

أضحى متمماً نُقصانه

There is no flaw in it, yet it is as though the garment

Hiding some flaw, as if the clothes

had come to make up for its deficiency.

Had come to complete what it lacks,

إن كفاً قاست عليك لباساً

إن كفاً قاست عليك لباساً

مثلَ هذا مهّارةٌ شيطانه

مثلَ هذا مهّارةٌ شيطانه

Indeed, the hand that fitted a garment to you

If a hand tailored such dress for you

like this is skillful, devilish.

It showed skill most satanic -

عَرَفتْ كيف تَبروزين

عَرَفتْ كيف تَبروزين

إلى الجمهُور فيه لتخِلبي أذهانه

إلى الجمهُور فيه لتخِلبي أذهانه

It knew how you would appear

Revealing you openly to people

before the public in it, to bewitch their minds.

To steal away their minds,

ضيَّقت مُلتقى نهودكِ

ضيَّقت مُلتقى نهودكِ

والكشْحَين منه وشمرَّت أردانه

والكشْحَين منه وشمرَّت أردانه

It tightened the dress where your breasts meet,

Drawing your breasts together

and at both flanks, and turned up its sleeves;

While the cleft between them gapes,

وأشارت إلى اللعوبَيْن بالألباب

وأشارت إلى اللعوبَيْن بالألباب

منا بوردةٍ مُزدانه

منا بوردةٍ مُزدانه

and pointed to the two that toy with minds—

Hinting at your playful pomegranates

our minds—with an ornamental rose.

With a rose placed between them,

ليت شعري ما السرُّ في ان بدت

ليت شعري ما السرُّ في ان بدت

للعَين جَهراً أعضاؤُكِ الحُسّانه

للعَين جَهراً أعضاؤُكِ الحُسّانه

I wonder what secret lies behind this:

How strange that your lovely limbs

your lovely parts appear openly to the eye,

Show plainly while your special part's hidden,

واختفى عضْوُك الذي مازَه الله

واختفى عضْوُك الذي مازَه الله

على كل ما لديك وزانه

على كل ما لديك وزانه

yet your organ is hidden, which God distinguished

That which God preferred over all else you own

above all you possess, and adorned;

And made the jewel of humankind,

الذي نال حُظوةً حُرِم الانسانُ

الذي نال حُظوةً حُرِم الانسانُ

منها خُصَّت الإنسانه

منها خُصَّت الإنسانه

which received a favor denied to man,

Wishing it a form that would be

one reserved for woman alone;

The best of all forms - and so it became,

وتمنّى على الطبيعة شَكلا

وتمنّى على الطبيعة شَكلا

هو من خير ما يكونُ فكانه

هو من خير ما يكونُ فكانه

and asked nature for a shape

In a fertile place which Allah graced

among the finest possible—and so became it;

With aromatic herbs all around,

وَمَحلاً خِصبا فحلَّ بوادٍ

وَمَحلاً خِصبا فحلَّ بوادٍ

أنبتَ اللهُ حولَهُ ريحانه

أنبتَ اللهُ حولَهُ ريحانه

and a fertile home, and settled in a valley

Not wanting its sight to give pleasure

around which God made sweet basil grow.

Or for it to be concealed from view,

لم يُرد من بَراه مُتعةَ نَفسٍ

لم يُرد من بَراه مُتعةَ نَفسٍ

ان يُغَطّى ولم يُردْ كِتمانه

ان يُغَطّى ولم يُردْ كِتمانه

He who created it for the soul’s delight did not intend

Like a book whose pages are shown

it to be covered, nor did He intend its concealment.

Then covered by force against its grain,

ككتابٍ كشَّفت عن صفحتيهِ

ككتابٍ كشَّفت عن صفحتيهِ

ثم غطيَّت عَنوةً عُنوانه

ثم غطيَّت عَنوةً عُنوانه

Like a book: you uncovered its two pages,

Or a freshwater pool, pure and sweet

then forcibly covered its title;

That's forbidden, while its banks are allowed,

أو غَديرٍ جمِّ المساربِ عذبٍ

أو غَديرٍ جمِّ المساربِ عذبٍ

حَرمَّوه وحلَّلوا شُطْئَانه

حَرمَّوه وحلَّلوا شُطْئَانه

or a sweet-water pool with abundant channels,

A temple of God whose gate is shut

which they forbade, while permitting its shores;

And its pillars veiled from within,

هيكلٌ من هياكِل اللهِ سُدَّ البابُ

هيكلٌ من هياكِل اللهِ سُدَّ البابُ

منه وكفنَّوا صُلبانه

منه وكفنَّوا صُلبانه

a temple among God’s temples, whose door was shut,

Your lush body's a proof to refute

and whose crosses they shrouded.

Argument, if you didn't hide its evidence,

جسمُك الغضُ مَنطقٌ يدحَض

جسمُك الغضُ مَنطقٌ يدحَض

الحجّة لو لم تُسَتِّري بُرهانه

الحجّة لو لم تُسَتِّري بُرهانه

Your tender body is an argument that refutes

I've seen both of yours together - ah, the love

the case—if only you did not conceal its proof.

Of girls! O temptress, profaner!

ملءَ عيني رأيت منكِ مع الأخرى

ملءَ عيني رأيت منكِ مع الأخرى

غرامَ البَناتِ يا فتّانه

غرامَ البَناتِ يا فتّانه

With my own eyes I saw, in you with the other woman,

A glimpse I was denied, and with others

the passion of girls, O enchantress.

It's cheapened, taken lightly,

رشفةٌ قد حُرمْتُها منك باتت

رشفةٌ قد حُرمْتُها منك باتت

عند غيري رخيصةً مُستَهانه

عند غيري رخيصةً مُستَهانه

A sip from you, denied to me, has become

When it clung to your belt, my soul craved

cheap and taken lightly by someone else,

To clasp you, but could not get near,

أذ تلهَّتْ بمَحزِمٍ منك بُغيا النفس

أذ تلهَّتْ بمَحزِمٍ منك بُغيا النفس

من أن تستطيع منكِ احتضانه

من أن تستطيع منكِ احتضانه

as she dallied with your waist—the soul’s desire

And she bent her hand to the seat of passion

being to be able to embrace it—

From me, and stroked over its terrain,

وثنَتْ كفَّها إلى مهبِط الأشواقِ

وثنَتْ كفَّها إلى مهبِط الأشواقِ

منيّ فمَسحَّت أركانه

منيّ فمَسحَّت أركانه

and bent her palm toward the landing place of longings—

With her, you "sold" frivolity and zeal,

mine—and stroked its corners.

And with me, "forbidden" modesty and composure,

معها " بعتِ " خفةً ومُجونا

معها " بعتِ " خفةً ومُجونا

ومعي " بِعتِ " عفّةً ورزَانه

ومعي " بِعتِ " عفّةً ورزَانه

With her you 'sold' frivolity and wantonness,

If her coming to you is allowed, I'd come

and with me you 'sold' chastity and dignity.

As a man you'd not permit to enter;

لو كإتيان هذه لك آتي

لو كإتيان هذه لك آتي

رجلاً لم تحبِّذي إتيانه

رجلاً لم تحبِّذي إتيانه

If I came to you as this woman does,

Would you have me say, to one who doesn't know

as a man, you would not welcome that approach.

The extent of what's between you,

أتُريدين أن أقولَ لمن لم

أتُريدين أن أقولَ لمن لم

يدر ما بينكُنَّ من إدمانه

يدر ما بينكُنَّ من إدمانه

Do you want me to tell anyone who does not

The girls of desire have enjoyed pleasures

know what addiction there is among you women,

Not allowed them by the boys?

فتيات الهوى استبحن من اللذات

فتيات الهوى استبحن من اللذات

ما لم يُبِحنَه فتيانه

ما لم يُبِحنَه فتيانه

that the girls of passion have allowed themselves pleasures

Brides in one place, grooms in another -

they have not granted to passion’s young men?

Each left to do as they please.

أعروسان في مكان وعِرِّيسانِ

أعروسان في مكان وعِرِّيسانِ

كلٌ منهم يُخَلَّى وشانه

كلٌ منهم يُخَلَّى وشانه

Two brides in one place, and two bridegrooms—

each of them left to their own affairs?