أَقولُ لَمّا لاحَ مِن خِدرِهِ

وَاللَيلُ يَرخي الفَضلَ مِن سِترِهِ

I say, when he appeared from his abode

And the night let down the veil from its cover

أَبَدرُهُ أَحسَنُ مِن وَجهِهِ

أَم وَجهُهُ أَحسَنُ مِن بَدرِهِ

Do I outshine his face with my own

Or does his face outshine mine?

قَد مالَتِ الرِقَّةُ في شَطرِهِ

وَمالَتِ الغِلظَةُ في شَطرِهِ

Softness has inclined to his side

And roughness has inclined to his side

فَأُزرُهُ غَصَّت بِأَردافِهِ

وَوُشحُهُ جالَت عَلى خَصرِهِ

So his severity was laden with his glances

And his gentleness swayed at his waist

أَصبَحتُ لا أَدري وَإِن لَم يَكُن

في الأَرضِ شَيءٌ أَنا لَم أَدرِهِ

I woke up not knowing, even if there was

Nothing on earth I had not known

أَشعَرُهُ أَحسَنُ مِن وَجهِهِ

أَم وَجهُهُ أَحسَنُ مِن شَعرِهِ

Does his hair outshine his face?

Or does his face outshine his hair?

وَدُرُّهُ يُؤخَذُ مِن لَفظِهِ

أَم لَفظُهُ يُؤخَذُ مِن دُرِّهِ

And his pearls are taken from his words

Or are his words taken from his pearls?

وَثَغرُهُ يُنظَمُ مِن عِقدِهِ

أَم عِقدُهُ يُنظَمُ مِن ثَغرِهِ

And his lips are strung with his necklace

Or is his necklace strung with his lips?

فَمِن عَذيرَ الصَبِّ مِن صَدِّهِ

وَمَن يُجيرُ القَلبَ مِن هَجرِهِ

So who will protect the heart from his estrangement?

And who will protect the youth from his repulse?

يا لَيتَهُ يَعرِفُ حُبّي لَهُ

عَساهُ يُجزيني عَلى قَدرِهِ

Oh, if only he knew my love for him

Perhaps he would reward me for his worth