أَغُرَّةٌ تَحْتَ طُرَّهْ

أَمُ نُورُ فَجْرٍ بِسُحْرَهْ

A blush beneath her veil -

or dawn's radiant light in its magic hour?

وَذَاكَ فَرْعٌ وَنَهْدٌ

أَمْ صَوْلَجَانٌ وَأُكْرَهْ

That branch, that budded breast -

or glancing blade and reddened flower?

سَمْرَاءُ تَهْفُو بِقَدٍّ

كَالرُّمْحِ لِيناً وَسُمْرَهْ

Dark-lipped, she sways, so gently

her supple spear, its reddened tip so tender.

مَرَّتْ عَلَيَّ تَهَادَى

مِثْلَ الْمَهَاةِ بِشَبْرَهْ

She passed by me, pacing herself

like a doe, so dainty her gait.

فَقُلْتُ يا نُورَ عَيْنِي

مَا لِي عَلَى الصَّبْرِ قُدْرَهْ

I said: "Light of my eyes,

how can I endure?"

فَنَقَّبَتْ وَجْنَتَيْهَا

يَدُ الْحَيَاءِ بِحُمْرَهْ

Her modesty veiled her cheeks

in a rosy blush.

وَقَالَتِ اسْكُتْ وَإِلَّا

تَصِيرُ فِي النَّاسِ شُهْرَهْ

"Hush," she said, "Or else

word will spread among the folk."

فَقُلْتُ هَلْ مِنْ وِصَالٍ

يَكُونُ لِلْحُبِّ أُجْرَهْ

I said: "Can there be union

where love might find its wage?"

فَاسْتَضْحَكَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَتْ

عَلَى الْخَديعَةِ بُكْرَهْ

She smiled, then said:

"Be crafty and wise."