بجانب الكرخ من بغداد عنَّ لنا

بجانب الكرخ من بغداد عنَّ لنا

مهفهفٌ أبلجٌ قد زانه خَفَر

مهفهفٌ أبلجٌ قد زانه خَفَر

Beside al-Karkh, in Baghdad, there appeared to us

Beside the Tigris, from Baghdad he appeared to us

a slender, radiant-browed youth, adorned with coy modesty—

A snowy white gazelle, adorned with anklets

بدر المحيّا به يحيا مواصِلُه

بدر المحيّا به يحيا مواصِلُه

ظبيٌ تنفِّرُه عن وصلنا نَفَر

ظبيٌ تنفِّرُه عن وصلنا نَفَر

moon-faced; whoever enjoys his company is brought to life by him,

The full moon, greeting him, greets his visitors

a gazelle whom a band of men frightens away from union with us.

A wild goat, startled by our gathering

ضفيرتاه على قتلي تضافرتا

ضفيرتاه على قتلي تضافرتا

وكم بعيني من أجفانه سَهَر

وكم بعيني من أجفانه سَهَر

His two braids have conspired to kill me,

His braids conspired for my demise

and how much wakefulness his eyelids have caused my eyes!

And many a night my eyes beheld his eyelids’ vigil

وقد تهوَّلت من ظَفرِ الضفائر بي

وقد تهوَّلت من ظَفرِ الضفائر بي

يا من رأى شاعراً أودى به الشَّعَر

يا من رأى شاعراً أودى به الشَّعَر

I have been appalled by the braids’ triumph over me—

These braids have overwhelmed me with their triumph

whoever saw a poet whom hair had brought to ruin?

Oh you who’ve seen a poet undone by verse