وَمُهَفهَفٍ طاوي الحَشا

وَمُهَفهَفٍ طاوي الحَشا

خَنِثِ المَعاطِفِ وَالنَظَر

خَنِثِ المَعاطِفِ وَالنَظَر

And a slender beauty, lean about the waist,

supple in his body’s curves and in his gaze,

مَلَأَ العُيونَ بِصورَةٍ

مَلَأَ العُيونَ بِصورَةٍ

تُلِيَت مَحاسِنُها سُوَر

تُلِيَت مَحاسِنُها سُوَر

filled every eye with his image—

whose beauties were recited as Qur’anic surahs.

فَإِذا رَنا وَإِذا مَشى

فَإِذا رَنا وَإِذا مَشى

وَإِذا شَدا وَإِذا سَفَر

وَإِذا شَدا وَإِذا سَفَر

Whenever he gazed, and whenever he walked,

whenever he sang, and whenever he unveiled his face,

فَضَحَ الغَزالَةَ وَالغَمامَةَ

فَضَحَ الغَزالَةَ وَالغَمامَةَ

وَالحَمامَةَ وَالقَمَر

وَالحَمامَةَ وَالقَمَر

he put the gazelle and the cloud to shame,

and the dove and the moon.