روحي فِداءُ الظَّبيِ مَنْ فيه قَدْ

روحي فِداءُ الظَّبيِ مَنْ فيه قَدْ

شَنّع لاحيَّ عليه ولامْ

شَنّع لاحيَّ عليه ولامْ

My soul be ransom for the gazelle whom

My soul is a sacrifice for the gazelle in whom there has

my reproacher has reviled and blamed.

Been censure of his radiant cheek and blame

مَنْ عَينُه قَد أَصبَحت حاجِباً

مَنْ عَينُه قَد أَصبَحت حاجِباً

عَن واوِ أَصداغٍ وَميمِ اِبتِسام

عَن واوِ أَصداغٍ وَميمِ اِبتِسام

He whose eye has become a veil,

He whose eye has now become an eyebrow

concealing the wāw of his temple-locks and the mīm of his smile.

Shielding the "waw" of his cheeks and the "meem" of his smile

مَن مُذْ تَبَدّى أَلِفاً قدُّه

مَن مُذْ تَبَدّى أَلِفاً قدُّه

عِذارُه المِسكيُّ قد صارَ لام

عِذارُه المِسكيُّ قد صارَ لام

He who, since his stature appeared as an alif,

He whose stature, once high,

has had his musky cheek-down become a lām.

Now stoops, his fragrant musk turned to blame

وَصارَ ذا اللامُ خِتامَ البَها

وَصارَ ذا اللامُ خِتامَ البَها

بِوَجهِهِ الشَّمسيِّ بدر التّمام

بِوَجهِهِ الشَّمسيِّ بدر التّمام

And this lām became the seal of beauty

And that blame has become the seal-mark of splendor

upon his sunlike face—the moon at its full.

On his sun-like face, the full moon of perfection

وَوجهُه مُذْ حازَهُ وَاِزْدَهى

وَوجهُه مُذْ حازَهُ وَاِزْدَهى

فَقُلت أَرِّخْ حازَ مِسكَ الخِتام

فَقُلت أَرِّخْ حازَ مِسكَ الخِتام

And since his face acquired it and grew resplendent,

Since his face gained its blaze and glory

I said: “Date it: He attained the musk of the seal.”

I said: "Set down the date he attained the musk seal."