معلنةُ الأوتار صخابة

معلنةُ الأوتار صخابة

لها حنينٌ كحنين الغريبْ

لها حنينٌ كحنين الغريبْ

Fitted with strings, she is loud-voiced;

Its strings ring out; it is clamorous.

her yearning is like the yearning of a stranger.

Its plaintive cry is like the longing of one far from home.

زادت على المزهر طيباً وقدْ

زادت على المزهر طيباً وقدْ

تاهت على النّاي بخَلقٍ عجيبْ

تاهت على النّاي بخَلقٍ عجيبْ

She surpassed the mizhar in sweetness—and truly

It surpassed the mizhar lute in sweetness, and indeed

vaunted herself over the nāy through her wondrous form.

vaunted itself above the reed flute with its wondrous form.

مَكْسُوّةٌ أحشاؤُها حلةً

مَكْسُوّةٌ أحشاؤُها حلةً

من جلد أحشاء غزالٍ ربيبْ

من جلد أحشاء غزالٍ ربيبْ

Her inner parts are clothed in a robe

Its insides are clothed in a robe

of skin from the entrails of a nurtured gazelle.

of skin from the belly of a hand-reared gazelle.

كأنما تسعةُ أوتارها

كأنما تسعةُ أوتارها

نصبن أشراكاً لصَيْدِ القلوبْ

نصبن أشراكاً لصَيْدِ القلوبْ

It is as though her nine strings

It is as though its nine strings

had laid snares to hunt down hearts.

have set snares to capture hearts.