أَقاحٌ ذاكَ أَم شَنَبُ

وَريقٌ ذاكَ أَم ضَرَبُ

Is that a palm tree or a tall branch?

Is that a chamomile blossom, or the luster of teeth?

Is that a stream or a bond?

Is that nectar of the mouth, or white honey?

وَوَجهٌ ذاكَ أَم قَمَرٌ

وَخَدٌّ ذاكَ أَم ذَهَبُ

Is that a face or a moon?

And is that a face, or a moon?

Is that a cheek or gold?

And is that a cheek, or gold?

جَمالٌ غَيرُ مُكتَسَبٍ

وَبَعضُ الحُسنِ يُكتَسَبُ

Unacquired beauty,

A beauty that is innate, not acquired,

And some beauty can be acquired.

While some beauty is merely adorned.

ثَكِلتِ الظَرفَ عاذِلَتي

أَهَذا الحُسنُ يُجتَنَبُ

May my circumstances be bereft if I were to blame her.

May you be bereft of wit, O you who blame me;

Is this beauty to be avoided?

Is beauty such as this to be shunned?

عَدَدتُ لَها العُيوبَ وَلَيـ

ـسَ إِلّا الظَرفُ وَالأَدَبُ

I counted her faults but there was nothing

I enumerated her flaws, yet there was—

Except circumstance and manners.

—nothing but charm and refinement.

فَتاةٌ بَينَ مَبسَمِها

وَبَينَ عُقودِها نَسَبُ

A young woman between her smile

A maiden—between her smile

And her shapely figure, is of noble birth.

And her pearl necklaces, there lies a kinship.

لَواحِظُها نَمَتها الهِندُ

لَكِن أَهلُها عَرَبُ

Her glances nurtured her beauty,

Her glances trace their lineage to India,

But her people are Bedouin.

Though her people are Arabs.

مُرَنَّحَةٌ إِذا خَطَرَت

رَأَيتَ الغُصنَ يَضطَرِبُ

Swaying, when she walked

She sways when she struts;

You would see the boughs stir.

You would see a bough trembling.

مَشَت وَوَنَت رَوادِفُها

فَكادَ الخَصرُ يَنقَضِبُ

She walked past, her hips swaying,

She walked, slowed by the weight of her hips,

Her waist almost overturned.

Until her waist well-nigh snapped.

يُسَرُّ العاذِلونَ إِذا

نَأَت وَيَعودُني الوَصَبُ

My critics rejoice whenever

The critics rejoice when she departs,

She comes and goes and I become lovesick.

And suffering returns to afflict me.

وَيَصطَخِبونَ إِن قَرُبَت

وَعِندي يَحسُنُ الطَرَبُ

They clamor if she draws near,

And they clamor if she draws near,

Yet her company brings me delight.

While for me, such rapture is sweet.

فَأَبكي كُلَّما ضَحِكوا

وَأَضحَكُ كُلَّما غَضِبوا

So I weep whenever they laugh,

So I weep whenever they laugh,

And laugh whenever they get angry.

And I laugh whenever they rage.