وَزِنْجِيَّةٍ حَسْنَاءَ كَالمِسْكِ لَوْنُهَا

وَزِنْجِيَّةٍ حَسْنَاءَ كَالمِسْكِ لَوْنُهَا

بَدَا قَدهَا كَالسَّمْهَرِيِّ المُقَوَّمِ

بَدَا قَدهَا كَالسَّمْهَرِيِّ المُقَوَّمِ

And a lovely Black woman, her color like musk,

And a beautiful Black woman, her complexion like musk,

her figure rose like a straight, well-fashioned Samhari spear.

Her figure appeared like a straightened spear.

مُجَرَّدَةُ السَّاقَينِ وَالنَّهْدِ بَارِزٌ

مُجَرَّدَةُ السَّاقَينِ وَالنَّهْدِ بَارِزٌ

تُريكَ الهَوَى مِنْ ثَغْرِهَا المْتبَسِمِ

تُريكَ الهَوَى مِنْ ثَغْرِهَا المْتبَسِمِ

Her legs were bare, and her breast stood prominent,

Her legs were bare, and her breast stood out;

showing you desire through her smiling mouth.

She shows you love through her smiling lips.

طَوَتْ يَدَهَا اليُمْنَى لِتَسْنِدَ خَصْرَهَا

طَوَتْ يَدَهَا اليُمْنَى لِتَسْنِدَ خَصْرَهَا

بِبُرْدٍ لَيِّنٍ لَفَّ مُحْرِمِ

بِبُرْدٍ لَيِّنٍ لَفَّ مُحْرِمِ

She bent her right arm to brace her waist

She bent her right hand to support her waist,

with a soft mantle—the wrap of one in ritual consecration.

With a soft cloak, wrapped in a pilgrim's fashion.

تَلَقَّى لَهَا إِلياسُ بِالأَمْسِ صُورَةً

تَلَقَّى لَهَا إِلياسُ بِالأَمْسِ صُورَةً

تَكَادُ تُريِهِ رَوْعَةَ اللَّحْمِ وَالدَّمِ

تَكَادُ تُريِهِ رَوْعَةَ اللَّحْمِ وَالدَّمِ

Yesterday Elias received for her a ḥūrah, a dark-eyed beauty,

Elias received a picture of her yesterday,

who almost showed him the wonder of flesh and blood.

It almost shows him the splendor of flesh and blood.

فَهَامَ بِهَا حُبّاً وَآثَرَ وَصْفَهَا

فَهَامَ بِهَا حُبّاً وَآثَرَ وَصْفَهَا

فَمَنْ يُبْلِغُ الحَسْنَاءَ أَشْوَاقَ مُغْرَمِ

فَمَنْ يُبْلِغُ الحَسْنَاءَ أَشْوَاقَ مُغْرَمِ

He became love-mad for her and chose to describe her;

So he fell madly in love with her and chose to describe her.

who, then, will carry to the beauty an enamored lover’s longings?

So who will convey a lover's longings to the beautiful woman?

هِيَ النَّفْسُ قَبْلَ العَيْنِ جَلاَّبَةُ الهَوَ

هِيَ النَّفْسُ قَبْلَ العَيْنِ جَلاَّبَةُ الهَوَ

ى وَمَا فِي رَوْعٌ لِقَلْبٍ مُتَيَّمِ

ى وَمَا فِي رَوْعٌ لِقَلْبٍ مُتَيَّمِ

It is the soul, before the eye, that draws desire,

It is the soul, before the eye, that summons love,

and no dread dwells in a heart infatuated.

And there is no fear for a lovestruck heart.

وَبَيْنَ التَّنَائِي وَالتَّلاقِي لَلَيْلَةٌ

وَبَيْنَ التَّنَائِي وَالتَّلاقِي لَلَيْلَةٌ

وَبَيْنَ الرِّضَا وَالصَّدِّ رَغْبَةُ مُقْدِمِ

وَبَيْنَ الرِّضَا وَالصَّدِّ رَغْبَةُ مُقْدِمِ

Between separation and meeting there lies a night,

And between separation and meeting lies a single night,

and between welcome and rebuff, the yearning of one who ventures.

And between acceptance and rejection lies the desire of one who dares.

إِذَا مَا الْتَقَى العُشَّاقُ فِي طُرُقِ الهَوَى

إِذَا مَا الْتَقَى العُشَّاقُ فِي طُرُقِ الهَوَى

وَرَامُوا ابْتِعَاداً عَنْ وُشَاةٍ وَلُوَّمِ

وَرَامُوا ابْتِعَاداً عَنْ وُشَاةٍ وَلُوَّمِ

When lovers meet upon the paths of desire

When lovers meet along the paths of love,

and seek to draw away from tale-bearers and reproachers,

And seek to stay away from tale-bearers and reproachers,

فَوَصْلُكِ بِنْتَ الزِّنْجِ وَالبَدْرُ طَالِعٌ

فَوَصْلُكِ بِنْتَ الزِّنْجِ وَالبَدْرُ طَالِعٌ

سِتَارٌ لِصَبٍّ بِالبَيَاضِ مُلَثَّمِ

سِتَارٌ لِصَبٍّ بِالبَيَاضِ مُلَثَّمِ

then union with you, daughter of the Zanj, while the full moon rises,

Then union with you, daughter of the Zanj, while the full moon rises,

is a screen for an ardent lover, veiled in white.

Is a veil for a lovesick man masked in white.