تَحت الغَلائل بانة تَتَرنّحُ

تَحت الغَلائل بانة تَتَرنّحُ

تَختال في حلل الدَلال وَتمرحُ

تَختال في حلل الدَلال وَتمرحُ

Beneath the sheer robes, a bān tree sways,

Under the locks of hair a gazelle sways

strutting in robes of coquetry and frolicking.

Strutting in robes of coquetry, she plays

أَهفو لِشَجو حَمائم الحلي الَّتي

أَهفو لِشَجو حَمائم الحلي الَّتي

تَهفو عَلى غُصن القوام وَتصدحُ

تَهفو عَلى غُصن القوام وَتصدحُ

I yearn for the plaintive song of the doves of her jewelry, which

I yearn for the lament of bracelets that

flutter on the branch of her figure and sing aloud.

Sigh on the branch of a slim form and chime

لَمياء ياقوت الشِفاه شَرابه

لَمياء ياقوت الشِفاه شَرابه

لِفُؤاد مضناها العَليل مفرّحُ

لِفُؤاد مضناها العَليل مفرّحُ

Dark-lipped, the draught from her ruby lips

Ruby wine of lips is a draught

gladdens the ailing heart of her lovesick lover.

That gladdens a lovesick heart in painful time

ما كُنت أَعلَم قبل فَتك جُفونِها

ما كُنت أَعلَم قبل فَتك جُفونِها

أَنّ الأَسنّة في الأَكنّة تجرحُ

أَنّ الأَسنّة في الأَكنّة تجرحُ

I did not know, before her eyelids' deadly assault,

I knew not before her lids' strike

that spearheads wound even within their coverings.

That glances in the corners can wound and bite

كَلّا وَلا عايَنت قَبل الخصر مِن

كَلّا وَلا عايَنت قَبل الخصر مِن

شَيء يَحبّ النَقص فيهِ وَيَمدحُ

شَيء يَحبّ النَقص فيهِ وَيَمدحُ

No indeed! Nor had I seen, before her waist, any

Nay, nor before her waist had I seen

thing in which deficiency is loved and praised.

A thing whose flaw one praises and esteems

غَرّاءُ ما بَين الجَبين وَشعرها

غَرّاءُ ما بَين الجَبين وَشعرها

أُمسي عَلى حُكم الغَرام وَأُصبحُ

أُمسي عَلى حُكم الغَرام وَأُصبحُ

Radiant-faced—between her brow and her hair,

A fawn, her brow to her hair

I spend evening and morning under love's rule.

To the rule of love I wake and sleep

أَكنى عَن القَمَر المُنير بِوَجهِها

أَكنى عَن القَمَر المُنير بِوَجهِها

وَسَناه بِالسرّ المَصون يصرّحُ

وَسَناه بِالسرّ المَصون يصرّحُ

I allude to the shining moon by speaking of her face,

I hint at the brilliant moon through her face

and its radiance speaks openly of the guarded secret.

And its secret through her protected tooth I speak