إِذا شِئتُ غَنّاني مِنَ العاجِ قاصِفٌ

عَلى مِعصَمٍ رَيّانَ لَم يَتَخَدَّدِ

When I wish, a skilled singer on an ivory lute

With a supple, well-irrigated arm undesecrated,

لِبَيضاءَ مِن أَهلِ المَدينَةِ لَم تَعِش

بِبُؤسٍ وَلَم تَتبَع حَمولَةَ مُجحَدِ

For a fair woman of Medina who did not live

In misery nor follow the caravan of an infidel—

نَعِمتُ بِها لَيلَ التَمامِ فَلَم يَكَد

يُرَوّي اِستِقائي هامَةَ الحائِمِ الصَدي

I enjoy her on the night of consummation, and my thirst

Is scarcely quenched by her overflowing pool.

وَقامَت تُخَشّيني زِياداً وَأَجفَلَت

حَوالَيَّ في بُردٍ رَقيقٍ وَمُجسَدِ

She stands, increasingly excites me, turns her hips

About me in delicate, cool skin.

فَقُلتُ ذَريني مِن زِيادٍ فَإِنَّني

أَرى المَوتَ وَقّافاً عَلى كُلِّ مَرصَدِ

So I say, “Let me be, for I see death

Standing watch at every lookout.”

وَلَيسَت مِنَ اللائي العَذانُ مَقيظُها

يَرُحنَ خِفافاً في المُلاءِ المُعَضَّدِ

She is not one of those women sleep rouses them

To trip lightly in interwoven robes,

وَلَكِنَّها يُجبى النَصارى لِأَهلِها

وَتَنمي إِلى أَعلى مُنيفٍ مُشَيَّدِ

But one Christians collect for her family

And she climbs to the highest appointed roof.

حَوارِيَّةٌ تَمشي الضُحى مُرجَحِنَّةً

وَتَمشي العَشِيَّ الخَيزَلى رِخوَةَ اليَدِ

A Christian, walking sprightly at dawn

And walking again at dusk, hands weak.