مَرَّتْ بنا في النصيف تَنْجذبُ

والبانُ في تلك الكثُبُ

She passed by us in the summer heat alluring,

Her tent on those sand dunes rising high.

فَشَاقَنَا فوقَ خَدِّها ضَرَمٌ

يُطْفيهُ من لِثاتها ضَرَبُ

Above her cheek a birthmark like glowing ember

Quenched by her drool as she sucks her lip.

فِضّيَةُ اللّونِ وهي مشرَبَةٌ

كأنما سال فوقها الذهبُ

Silver-white skin though parched by thirst,

As if gold had spilled over her dunes.

هزّت قناةً على كثيب نقَّاً

إن النّقا والقنا هو العجبُ

She shook a slender branch on a sandy dune—

Grace and branch are a wondrous thing!

قد زانها الفاحمُ الأثيث على

مَسْحبِ ذاك القناعِ ينسحب

Adorned with dark musk over smooth skin,

Below that veil's mysterious folds,

والناظر الجؤذريٌّ واللَّبَبُ

واللَّعَسُ الكوثري والشنب

Her languorous eyes, coquettish, smiling,

A fawn, a partridge, a shy gazelle—

يسترها فرعُها ويبرزُها

صبحُ اللما فهي ليس تَحتجِبُ

Her branch now hides, now reveals her face

Like dawn's first light, unveiled, unhidden.

يا ليتَ لي وقفةً ببانِ قُبَا

فاسألُ العاتبينَ لمْ عَتَبوا

Would that I had paused awhile at Dhat Quba

To ask, why do you shun me, keeping apart?

وليتَ ماءَ العُذَيْب يَعْرُضُ لي

يسقيني القومُ فضلَ ما شربوا

Would water from Adh'ib would flow my way

To slake my thirst with what they drank!

يا أهلَ تلك الخيام إنّ بَعُدت

داري فودّي لكم كما يجبُ

O people of those tents, though far I live

My love for you remains, as it should.

لا تُهملوا صحبتي زمانَ قُبَا

فلن يضيعُ الكرامُ من صحبوا

Do not neglect my company, O Quba folk!

For noble hearts do not forsake true friends.

أمَّا صِفاتُ الجَمال فهي لكم

والمجد للأشعري والحَسَبُ

As for beauty—that is yours, but glory

Belongs to Ash'ari and repute!