وحديثهن إذا التقين

وحديثهن إذا التقين

تهاتف البيض الغرائرْ

تهاتف البيض الغرائرْ

And their talk, whenever they met,

When maidens meet, their talk is of the bright pearls hid;

was the calling of fair, guileless maidens to one another.

And when they laugh for joy, their cheeks show basil-sprigs mid;

وإذا ضحكن عن العذا

وإذا ضحكن عن العذا

ب لنا المسفّات الثواغرْ

ب لنا المسفّات الثواغرْ

And when they smiled, revealing their sweet

Their agitation comes not by guffaws or shaking;

mouths to us, with powder-darkened gums,

But gently, mildly, restrained - like pearls softly breaking.

كان التهللُ بالتبسـ

كان التهللُ بالتبسـ

ـم لا القهاقه بالقراقرْ

ـم لا القهاقه بالقراقرْ

their beaming was through smil-

-ing, not guffaws with throaty rumbling.