لِمَنِ الدارُ كَخَطٍّ بِالقَلَم

لَم يُغَيِّر رَسمَها طولُ القِدَم

Whose dwelling is this, like a line drawn by the pen?

The long passage of time has not altered its traces.

صاحِ إِنّي شَفَّني طولُ السَقَم

وَصَبا القَلبُ إِلى أُمِّ الحَكَم

O companion, prolonged sickness has worn me thin,

And my heart has yearned toward Umm al-Hakam,

وَصَبا القَلبُ إِلى بَهنانَةٍ

مِثلِ قَرنِ الشَمسِ يَبدو في الظُلَم

My heart has yearned toward a soft, delicate beauty,

Like the sun’s horn appearing through the darkness.

ما رَأَت عَينٌ لَها فيما تَرى

شَبَهاً في أَهلِ حِلٍّ وَحَرَم

No eye, among all that it beholds, has ever seen

Her like among people within or beyond the sacred precinct.

وَطَريٍّ حَسَنٍ تَقويسُهُ

زانَها ذاكَ وَعِرنينٌ أَشَم

With a fresh, lovely curve, beautifully arched—

That adorns her, along with a proud, high-bridged nose—

وَبِثَغرٍ واضِحٍ أَنيابُهُ

طَيِّبِ الريحِ جَميلِ المُبتَسَم

And a gleaming mouth with lustrous teeth,

Sweet-breathed and lovely in its smile.