لا وَمَكانِ الصَّليبِ في النّحْرِ

مِنْكِ ومَجْرَى الزُّنّارِ في الخَصْرِ

No—by the cross’s resting place upon the throat,

on you, and the zunnār’s course around the waist;

والخالِ في الخَدِّ إِذْ أُشَبِّهُهُ

وَرْدَةَ مِسْكٍ على ثَرَى تِبْرِ

and by the mole upon the cheek, when I liken it

to a musk-rose upon earth of gold;

وحاجِبٍ مَدَّ خَطَّهُ قَلَمُ ال

حُسْنِ بِحِبْرِ البَهاءِ لا الحِبْرِ

and by an eyebrow whose line was drawn by the pen of—

Beauty, with radiance for ink—not common ink;

وأُقْحُوانٍ بِفِيكِ مُنْتَظِمٍ

على شَبيهِ الغَديرِ مِنْ خَمْرِ

and by daisies arrayed within your mouth,

above what resembles a pool of wine;

ما أَصْبَرَ الشّوْقَ بي فأَصْبَرُنا

مَنْ حَسُنَتْ فيه قِلّةُ الصَّبْرِ

How patient longing is with me! The more patient of us

is the one whom lack of patience becomes.