سَنَحَتْ فِي الطَّرِيقِ مَغْضُوضَةَ الْجَـ
ـفْنِ وَلِلْهُدْبِ شِبْهُ ظِلٍّ مَدِيدِ
She appeared on the road, her veil drawn,
With the tent pole casting a long shadow.
لَحْظُهَا خَاشِعُ الشُّعاعِ وَتَدْعُو
هُ إِلَى الْكِبَرِ عِزَّةٌ بِالنُّهودِ
Her glance was humble, her light subdued,
Inviting pride with coquettish neck motions.
رَاعَنَا قَدُّهَا الرَّشِيقُ وَقَدْ تَكْـ
ـفِي فُتُوناً رَشَاقَةٌ بِالْقُدُودِ
Her slender figure aroused desire—
Grace lies in a delicate, flexible form.
وَجَبِينُ مُكَلل بِنُضَارٍ
وَمُحَيّاً ضَاحٍ أَسِيلُ الْخُدُودِ
Her forehead garlanded in freshness,
Her smooth cheek flowing, her face so radiant.
وَثُغَيْرٌ حَلاَوَةُ الظَّلمِ تَجْرِي
ثَنَايَاهُ فَوْقَ أَعْدَلِ جِيدِ
A gazelle whose sweet darkness
Flows over perfectly straight teeth.
هُوَ يَاقُوتَةٌ طَفَتْ فِي مُحِيطٍ
مِنْ بَيَاضٍ قَدْ زِينَ بِالتَّوْرِيدِ
She is a ruby floating
In a sea of white adorned with pearls.
ذَاكَ مَا قَدْ غَنِمْتُ مِنْ حُسْنِهَا لَمْـ
ـحاً وَمَا خِلْتُ بَعْدَهُ مِنْ مَزِيدِ
That is all the beauty I stole from her
When I glimpsed her; no more remained to gain
غَيْرَ أَنِّي مَكَثْتُ حَتَّى إِذَا مَا
نَاوَحَتْنِي وَلَمْ أَكُنْ بِبَعِيدِ
Except that I lingered until, when she glanced
My way from no great distance,
حَانَ مِنْهَا نَحْوِي الْتِفَاتٌ فَيَا لَلْـ
ـبِدْعَ مِثْلُهُ فِي الْوُجُودِ
There was a turn of her face toward me—what a
Wonder the like of it is in existence!
حَدُّ مَا تَبْلُغُ الْخِلاَبَةُ فِي الأْلْـ
ـحَاظِ بَلْ فِتْنَةٌ وَرَاءَ الْحُدُودِ
The ultimate that charm in glances attains—
Rather, temptation beyond all limits:
مِحْجَرٌ ضَائِقٌ بِإِنْسَانِ عَيْنٍ
وَاسِعِ الْحَوْلِ وَهْوَ غَيْرُ مَرِيدِ
A narrow enclosure with a human of ample
Visions, and she no run-of-the-mill person;
جَامِعٌ لِلسَّماءِ وَالمَاءِزَخَّا
رٌ بِمَوْجٍ عَالٍ وَضَوْءٍ شَدِيدِ
Embracing heaven and sea, agitated
With a towering wave and intense light;
سَاحِرٌ بَيْنَ زُرْقَةٍ وَاخْضِرَارٍ
لُبَّ رَائِيهِ بِائْتِلاَفٍ فَرِيدِ
A sorcerer amid turquoise and verdure,
Her pure traits composed in singular harmony.
وَخِلاَلَ اللَّوْنَيْنِ كَمْ وَمْضَةٍ سَكْ
رَى لَعُوبٍ وَكَمْ سَحَابٍ شَرُودِ
And between the two colors, what a trace of
Frolicking lightning, what stray clouds!
بَيْنَمَا أَنْتَ مِنْهُ فِي شِبْهِ وَعْدٍ
إِذْ تَرَاهُ وَفِيهِ شِبْهُ وَعِيدِ
While you are with her like a half-promise,
Since you see her, and in her a half-threat.
ذَاكَ فَنٌّ مِنَ الْبَدِيعِ رَأَيْنَا
آيَةً مِنْهُ لِلْبَدِيعِ المَجِيدِ
That is an art of the wondrous we witnessed
A sign of it for the Majestic Wondrous.
فَاسْتُبِينَا وَأَيُّ قَلْبٍ مَنِيعٌ
حِينَ يَغْزُو الْهَوَى بِحُسْنٍ جَدِيدِ
So we asked ourselves: what heart so remote
As not to be tempted by gorgeous new love?
